Living in the Moment
by FirebirdXoX
Summary: Second chances often come in the form of rebirth. Some consider it a blessing, others a curse, but I personally think its just an excuse for the legendaries to screw with you. Either way, I'm going to live in the moment. Rated M for a lot of cussing.
1. Where One Life Ends, Another Begins

**A/N: Welcome. This is Living in the Moment, my very first fanfic, ever. After re-reading the first chapter and discovering that it, to be quite honest, _sucked; _I rewrote it entirely. The chapter below is the new version of Chapter One, and its a beginning chapter that I believe does the rest of the story justice. For those who are just getting started on LITM, I hope this story envokes laughter, deep thought, sadness, surprise, and many other fanatical emotions. Keep in mind; the story only gets better as it goes; because my writing is developing with every chapter I put out. **

**And yes, it does start out like every other reborn fic you've ever known. But believe me; the plot twists it takes in the later Chapters make this story unique..**

**And with that babbling out of the way, please enjoy my baby; my fanfic~**

* * *

Chapter One: 

Where One Life Ends, Another Begins

I remember that morning clearly. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon; streaking the sky brilliant shades of purple, magenta, and orange. As I descended the stairs of the orphanage, I inhaled the frigid air and shivered. It was perhaps the most beautiful time of the day.

I pulled my threadbare jacket tighter around me; my eyes searching for that familiar flash of copper. When I failed to see her, I plopped down on the nearby bench and yawned. My hands were cold and clammy as I waited, and I sat on them to keep them warm. It's strange to think, that this was the typical summer climate for Sinnoh. A heat wave for us was about 75 degrees, and that occurred very rarely.

I turned my eyes to the yellow taxi that was coming up the street. It pulled up to the curb about a hundred yards away, and suddenly she was there. But not casually walking over to me as she normally did when we met for our morning walks. On that morning, she sprinted over to me; copper hair blazing behind her, and eyes bright even in the dim morning light.

"Daniel," she huffed, "you _have_ to come see this! I'll tell you on the way!"

She tugged at my tattered sleeve, beckoning me to follow her.

"What about our walk?" I protested as we ran to the idle taxi cab.

"I have to show you something first," she said hurriedly. "204 Fieldcrest Drive, please," she told the driver, slipping him a five dollar bill and buckling her seatbelt.

He nodded, and we pulled away from the curb.

"You remember my egg, don't you?" she asked me once she had caught her breath.

"The one your dad bought you, right? I don't think you would ever let me _forget_ it, Kelly," I said with a laugh, "You only mention it every time I see you."

Her face flushed a deep maroon, "Do _not_!"

The taxi driver flicked on his blinker, and then turned right.

"But that's beside the point. When I woke up this morning, guess what? It was _glowing. _And so I looked it up on the internet, and that means its going to hatch soon!"

"Congratulations," I said through a forced smile.

Its not that I wasn't happy for her... I was just extremely jealous. My parents had never given me anything, other than my name, before dropping me at the Twinleaf Fresh Start Orphanage. The only thing I knew of my parents was that she was 17, and he was 23 when I was concieved. My file says they headed for Goldenrod City after their departure; leaving their baby behind for the slot machines. When I was twelve, a crudely written letter was mailed to the orphanage; announcing that my parents had been killed in a fire.

I felt no remorse for their deaths, and oddly enough, I had never even felt bitter over the whole abandonment ordeal. It probably did me good to get away from them before they could influence me, anyway.

I shook the jealous thoughts from my head, and stared out the window; wondering why the hell we were headed to her house to watch an egg _glow_.

We turned onto Kelly's street, and then into her driveway. The elegant brick house intimidated me, and yet it awed me at the same time. Kelly lurched from her seat after thanking the cab driver, and gently shut the door. His front bumper scraped concrete as he backed out, and then drove back into the main part of town.

"Kelly, aren't your parents going to get mad if they find out I came here at 5:30 in the morning?" I asked tentatively as I followed her up the driveway.

She sighed as she unhooked the back gate and ushered me in.

"They would be if they found out, but they won't, so don't worry about it so much," she whispered tersely as we snuck inside.

She led me through the den, the gigantic kitchen, and then up a flight of thickly carpeted stairs. She tip-toed into her room, and gently shut the door behind me. It was then, and only then, that I whooshed out a breath of relief.

"Come over here," she said softly as she flicked the lights on.

We walked over to her computer desk, and I froze in amazement at the sight of the egg, wrapped in a dark green towel.

When Kelly had told me she had recieved an Pokemon egg from her father, I had been expecting sort of a generic, cream coloration. But to my surprise, the egg was a soft heather grey, with flecks of darker grey covering it. Overlapping the flecks where strange, oval shaped black rings. It was, in a word, breathtaking. Not just the coloration, but the fact that there was a mysterious baby Pokemon curled up inside; biding its time until it would emerge, finally easing our curiosity.

I must have been entranced for a while, because I jumped when Kelly spoke again.

"Cool, isn't it?" she breathed.

I was about to answer her when the egg slowly began to glow a silvery color. The light became blinding, and then almost immediately faded out.

"Wow," I choked out, "now _that_, was awesome. How long did that website say it would be before it hatched?"

"About a week from the first time it glowed," she informed me, "it'll gradually glow longer, and longer, and finally one day, it will glow until the baby bursts free."

She traced the strange black rings of the egg with her fingertips. "And that's why I'm not coming to walk with you today," she whispered more softly.

I was about to protest, when her door cracked open. Kelly gasped, and my stomach lurched. But the next sound was the familiar jngling of a collar. A Skitty strolled in, yawned, and then casually strode over to us. Kelly sighed with relief, and then walked back over and gently shut the door behind her family pet.

"Hey Silly, you scared the shit out of us," I crooned to the Skitty, patting my lap invitingly.

She looked up at her name, and then hopped up on my lap; purring as I rubbed her behind the ears. Kelly leaned up against her wall, smiling as she watched us.

"So tell me," I said as I moved on to scratching Silly beneath her chin, "why you don't think you can come on a walk with me today."

Kelly bit her lip, and then sighed, "I just don't feel like I can be away from the egg that long..."

I snorted with laughter, and the abrupt sound sent the Skitty scrambling from my lap. "That's bullshit, Kel, and you know it. The website said it wouldn't hatch for another week-"

"I'm aware of what the website said," she snapped, "but I'm also aware that it isn't always a reliable source. I can't leave the egg; I have to be there when it hatches. And that's final."

I thought for a moment, and then rose to my feet. "You know, you could always take it with you. That way you wouldn't miss out on our walk, and you would also be there if it hatched."

She raised an eyebrow, considering it, and then shrugged. "Good idea. I mean, might as well. Just let me find my backpack."

She dissapeared in the depths of her luxurious walk-in closet, and I subconsciously drummed my fingertips on the desk. I happened to look out her bay window as the sun finally emerged; bursting forth with light, and making the streaks of color vanish in an instant.

"Are you ready, now?" Kelly asked as she reached over me to gently slide the towel-wrapped egg into her bag.

I rose to my feet; suddenly aware her parents could awaken at any given moment.

"Yeah," I said gruffly as I helped guide her arm through the backpack strap, "let's get out of here."

She peeked out into the empty hall, and then motioned for me to follow her. We crept past her parents room, the bathroom, and then a vacant room. I paused at the door, and stared into the eerily empty space.

But then, I felt Kelly's hand wrapped around my wrist; yanking me back into motion, and we left without any further hesitation on my part.

* * *

"What the fuck are you talking about, Kelly!?"

Her face reddened, and she repeated what I dreaded hearing. "Daniel, I'm leaving for the Pokemon League Challenge when the egg hatches."

I gaped at her, utterly dumbfounded. "But, why now? Why not six years ago?"

She sniffled, and then drew a crumpled sheet of notebook paper from her coat pocket. I scanned it, and realized it was from her sister, whom was in Johto; for reasons concerning her health.

"She's ten, Daniel," she said softly, "and in a few months, she'll be embarking on the greatest adventure of her life. And I'm a 16-year old who's never ventured farther than Sandgem Town."

She paused, and briefly looked up at me; her eyes pleading with me to understand.

"I feel like I'm suffocating, Daniel. I need to explore the world. I _need_ to do this," she breathed in slowly, and then continued, "and I want you to come with me."

Flabbergasted, I stopped where I was. We had been walking along the railroad tracks, for no apparent reason, and I sank to the ground and sat on the cold metal rails.

"B-but, I don't have a Pokemon," I stammered.

"I can catch you one," she blurted out, "Or we could get one from Rowan. I... I just don't want to face Sinnoh alone."

I ran my fingers through my hair. Me? A _Pokemon Trainer_? Kelly had always dreamed of it, but had been too afraid to leave Twinleaf. I, on the other hand, had never been given the option, so it had never even crossed my mind as a possibility.

"What if I suck at being a trainer?" I asked abruptly.

Kelly smiled, and sat down next to me. She lay her backpack on the tracks behind us, and then tilted my head so I was facing her.

"I saw how kind you were to Silly, Daniel. And you certainly remember the trainer class we took last semester, don't you? You were such a good strategist, and always won the online practice battles. You'll be an amazing trainer, that is, if you decide to come with me..."

I hesitated, trying to think of a reason I _shouldn't_ go. It wasn't like I had a family to think of. In fact, the only person I spent time with in Twinleaf was Kelly...

"Do you think Rowan has a Piplup left?" I asked slowly, deliberately.

Her face brightened, and then she flung her arms around my neck. I blushed profusely; my head reeling at this newfound journey ahead of us.

_I, Daniel Moore, am going to become a Pokemon Trainer._

I numbly returned the hug, blinking at disbelief at what I had agreed to.

_I'm finally getting the opportunity to make something of myself_.

"We should head to Sandgem right now," said Kelly abruptly as she pulled away from me; her cheeks tinged pink from either our embrace or the cold weather.

"What about your parents?" I asked; worried they would freak if she wasn't home when they awoke.

Kelly shrugged non-concernedly, "They'll just think I'm sleeping in. It's only a little after six in the morning, after all."

I rose to my feet; suddenly excited at the idea that I might get a Pokemon today. I gave her my hand, and pulled her up. Giddy with excitement at our new plan for the future, we started off at a brisk walk for Sandgem. We were so focused on Sandgem, in fact, that we almost didn't hear the low whistle of the train. But I did notice when Kelly stopped dead in her tracks.

"MY EGG! Oh Christ, Danny, it's on the tracks!" she cried out in anguish.

The train whistle bellowed once more, but I was already sprinting in a race against time.

_Have to save the egg. __Have to salvage this dream... _

I beat Kelly to the tracks, and knelt down, fumbling with the straps.

"Hurry, c'mon!" she screeched as the train came into view.

I crouched on the railroad ties and yanked the bag. The material ripped, and the egg tumbled onto the tracks. I desperately grasped it, and then rolled it to the safety of Kelly's arms.

But something was wrong.

"Kelly, I'm stuck!" I yelled hoarsely.

I jerked on my leg; trying to yank my jeans free of whatever they were caught on.

"Daniel, that isn't funny," said Kelly in a faltering voice; tears streaming down her face, "quit jacking around and get up!"

"I'm trying, damnit!" I yelled as I flailed.

I faintly remember reaching out for her hand; groping for it as I lay caught in the railroad ties, and then the ear-shattering bellow of the train whistle. Kelly leaped back away from the tracks as the train overcame me; horrifically mangling my body. And then... I was no longer on the tracks.

I was floating, somewhere above the train. Everything was silent; like watching a tragic movie on mute. I saw Kelly screaming, tears streaming down her face. She fell to her knees, her beloved egg clutched to her chest as she sobbed over my death. I saw what was left of my mutilated body...

And then, my world faded into blackness.

* * *

_"Wake up, little one. I have things to discuss with you." _

I blinked blearily, and then opened my eyes. I was floating in some sort of abyss, and there's not much more I can do to explain that for you, dear reader. My memory fails me here; and there is no proper way to describe what you experience after death.

"Who said that?" I yelled into the nothingness.

A pink blur appeared, and then came into focus before me.

_"I did. Are you surprised to see me, Daniel?"_

"Not particularly. I just got ran over by a fucking _train_. Nothing is too surprising to me at this point in time."

The pink goddess, Mew, frowned at my bold words.

_"__You should refrain from cursing in the prescence of a Pokemon that holds your future in the palm of her paw, Daniel." _

I gave a short laugh, "What future? I just _died, _Mew. What in the hell, I mean, _heck_, could you possibly have in store for me?"

Before she could reply, a shimmering green cloud of smoke appeared next to her, and suddenly, I was in the prescence of Celebi. While Mew had worry and stress etched into her pink-furred face, Celebi had a fresher, younger face about her. Who knew you had to get run over by a freight train to be surrounded by the mythical legendaries?

The green fairy looked at Mew, then to me, and then back to Mew once more.

_"Would someone mind explaining to me what in the hell is going on here? Where's the girl?" _

Mew shot her an exhausted look, _"This boy right here; he altered the time flow. He died saving the egg she was supposed to go after." _

Celebi blinked her glimmering sapphire eyes once, and then chuckled. _"That's funny, Mew. Just freakin hilarious. Now, really; where's the girl? You can't stand here and blatantly lie to me. I read the future. I know she was supposed to die today." _

Mew sighed wearily, _"Celebi, calm yourself. You know there are some things that cannot be predicted; even by you. And for pity's sake, try to be a little sensitive here. He _did_ just pass away." _

Mew then turned to me, _"You'll have to excuse her. Celebi gets a little... psychotic, when she doesn't know what's going on. She's spoiled to always knowing what the future holds." _

The slightly neurotic, green fairy shot Mew a venomous glare, and then tugged her antennae in frustration, _"So what do we do with him now, 'O Mighty Goddess of Everything'? We can't just send him back, you know." _

Mew nodded. _"I am aware of this. Do what you think is proper, Celebi. I'm leaving this one up to you, because I am weary." _Her eyes flashed to me, and she bowed. _"I have a feeling we'll meet again some day, Daniel. I have high hopes for you." _

I opened my transparent mouth to ask her how you could have 'high hopes' for a dead person, but she had already vanished. Celebi glanced at me; rubbing her temples as she did so.

_"My, you certainly are causing me a headache. Why in the bloody hell couldn't you just have let things happen naturally?" _

"She was my best friend," I yelled angrily, as the realization of what was happening finally hit me, "and I'd do the same thing for her over, and over again."

Celebi looked a little surprised at my resolve, and then smiled kindly. _"Can't say that I've met many humans that brave. You're a selfish race, you humans." _

"Please," I snorted, "I'm anything _but_ brave. Just... in love."

Celebi eyed me warily, and then sighed, _"I kind of like you, mortal. What would you say if I offered you a new life? As a Pokemon?" _

At first, I was skeptical. "A Pokemon," I repeated slowly.

_"You know... the creatures you humans domesticate that can learn powerful attacks?" _she said sarcastically.

"I know what they are," I snapped. "But how do I know this isn't some sort of conspiracy deal? You get my consent, and then you turn me into a Jigglypuff for a laugh. Or, something along those lines."

Celebi tilted her head to the side, as if considering the notion. _"Try to have a little faith in a deity, will you? And although that's an excellent idea, I can't control what Pokemon you become. All I can do is find the egg that will host you." _

"I'll only agree to this," I said slowly, "if you would put me in Kelly's egg. Please, I'm begging you. I... I have to be with her."

Celebi smiled warmly, and then patted me on the head.

_"I'll see what I can do. You be a good boy now, and perhaps I'll drop in to check on you every now and again," _she said with a wink, before snapping her fingers.

Then, Celebi and the cosmic abyss were gone, but the dark was not. I squirmed in the new cramped space, and then thrashed; trying to break free. The thick, gooey substance that I was submerged in, however, prevented me from swinging my limbs with much momentum.

I grew weary after a few minutes, and then remembered that Kelly had thought the egg wouldn't hatch for at least a week. This in mind, I curled into a tighter ball, and my eyes fluttered shut.

And it was the best sleep I had ever had...

* * *

**A/N: Well, lucky for you; you came in on the story late! You don't have to wait for the next update to find out what Daniel becomes, all you have to do is review (optional), and then head to the next chapter! I hope you like it so far~**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	2. Promises Kept

**A/N: Here's the new, redone Chapter 2. I think it's a big improvement..**

* * *

Chapter Two:

Promises Kept

_Have to break free... Have to get air!_

These two thoughts were the only things on my mind as I thrashed inside the egg. Whatever limbs I had acquired bashed against the shell, as I frantically tried to escape.

When I had awoke that morning, I was frightened. Whereas before there had been no urgency to break free, I now had a gnawing urge in the pit of my stomach. My lungs suddenly ached for the air beyond the barrier of the eggshell, and I struck out at it once more. A hair-line fracture appeared, and I felt overjoyed.

I heard a faint, jumbled voice from beyond the thick gooey liquid, and I noticed that everything sounded as if I were underwater. If anything, I was encouraged to increase the clarity of the voice, and anxious to see if Celebi was truthful. Gathering up every last bit of my strength, I headbutted the eggshell a final time... and instantly regretted it.

I tumbled into an unforgiving, familiar world; a world of bright light and cold air. I was shivering uncontrollably, and trying in vain to lift my head. I whimpered; a helpless newborn, and then I felt a rough tongue my back.

"Who's there?" I yelped, groping for anything to tell me where I was.

My blurry vision slowly came into focus, and I saw a pink tail in front of me. "You just _couldn't_ wait to hatch until she got back, could you?"

The voice was soft-spoken, and I instantly realized who it was. The Skitty's face came into focus, and then she began licking the goo off of my face. Seeing as this as fairly awkward, I protested, "Silly, stop it! This is so degrading..."

She staggered back, and stared at me; utterly dumbfounded.

"How... how did you know my name?" she demanded, looking more and more apprehensive.

"It's me, D-Daniel!" I cried through chattering teeth.

Her facial expression changed to one of shock, and then she sat down and just gaped at me. "You're... you're a reborn?"

I nodded anxiously, and then got to the question I was aching to know the answer to. "Silly... what Pokemon am I? Please, I have to know..."

She studied me for a moment, and then shook her head. "I'm sorry, Daniel... your species looks familiar, but I-"

"Oh my gosh," gasped a voice from the doorway, "you hatched!"

Silly shot me an apologetic look, and then jumped down from the desk and left the room; collar jingling. Kelly ran to my aide, and suddenly I was wrapped in a towel that smelled of laundry detergent. She dried me off with shaky hands, and cradled me in her arms as she would a human child.

"You certainly took your time getting here, you know," she cooed in a comforting voice.

She walked briskly out the door, and my head spun woozily as she did so. I was still adjusting to everything as a Pokemon, after all. The lights were brighter, the sounds were louder, and I could smell everything within a ten mile radius, it seemed.

We went down the stairs, and into the kitchen.

"Mom, come here!" yelled Kelly as she opened a bag of milk formula.

I inhaled the sweet scent and my stomach garbled in response. Kelly's mother, Faye, came walking in, and then gasped when she saw me.

"Yeah, I know," said Kelly in an excited voice, "do you think you could hold him while I make his bottle?"

Her mother brushed past her, and then shooed her away, "Nonsense. I'll make the bottle, you go call your father and let him know. He'll be thrilled."

Whilst Kelly told her father the news over the phone, I studied her mother. She was a thin, wiry woman. Her auburn hair was swept up in a tidy bun, although a few wisps escaped it. Whereas I was used to seeing her either in her work uniform, or with expensive clothing on, that day she was wearing casual clothes. A mud-streaked pair of faded blue jeans, a gardening trowel in her left hand, and a stained, oversized pink t-shirt were in major contrast to her normal prim-and-proper attire.

"Dad's leaving work," said Kelly abruptly, causing me to yelp in surprise.

"Speak softer, Kelly," chided her mother as the microwave beeped, "a baby Pokemon is very sensitive to new sounds."

She blushed and then mumbled, "Oh... right. Sorry, little guy."

Faye raised an eyebrow, "Little boy?"

Kelly nodded, "Yes. I noticed his gender when I was drying him off."

My face flushed, and I squirmed uncomfortably in her arms. "Right; so I guess you want your bottle, don't you?"

I nodded eagerly, and she lifted the nipple to my mouth. "Here you go, little guy. You'll like this," said Kelly as I began to suck down the warm liquid.

The sweet taste and warmth of it soothed my raging stomach, and I vigorously sucked it down.

"Have you named him yet, Kelly?" asked her mother in a curious voice.

Kelly shook her head, and then giggled when I burped; announcing I was finished with the bottle, "I haven't even thought of a name, to be honest, Mom. I think I need to see his personality, first. It'd be bad to name a timid, sweet Poochyena 'Fang', or a ferocious, troublesome one 'Poochy'."

At first, I winced at the awful, overly-used names. But then, I processed her sentence... "Wait... so I'm a _Poochyena_!?"

I barked, startling Kelly into dropping the plastic bottle to the floor with a clatter.

"What did I do this time?" asked Kelly concernedly as she hugged me closer.

"I mean, Mightyena aren't too bad, with proper training and such... but why couldn't I have been a Gible, or a Larvitar, or something else bad-ass... _that has fuckin hands!_"

I continued to rant all the way back up the stairs to Kelly's room, and only stopped when I heard her door shut behind us. Kelly sighed, and lay down on her bed; putting me on her pillow.

"It's a miracle you're here," she said wistfully as she began to rub me behind my ears. I whimpered, and licked her hand. She smiled faintly, and then continued, "There's a guy who you owe your life to, little guy."

I had honestly expected a flood of tears, hysterical sobbing, or anything other than what I got from her. Kelly's voice was steady, and there was no sign of tears in her eyes; though they were clouded with grief.

"His name was Daniel, and he was my best friend."

She chewed on her lip, and it was only then that her eyes filled to the brim with tears. I patiently waited for more; expecting her to go into detail on how much she had cared about me, or something along those lines. But instead, a yawn involuntarily escaped my maw, and she giggled; the motion causing a single tear to roll down her cheek.

"Looks like someone is ready for a nap," she said said as she got up from the bed and went to her closet.

I tried to prop myself up so I could look around, but my legs felt as if they were detached from my body. Kelly came back with a huge, plush Pokemon bed and a wadded up blanket.

"I bought this for you a while back," she murmured as she set it on the floor next to her bed. "I know you probably want to sleep on the bed with me, but until you become a little less clumsy, you have to stay on the floor so you don't get hurt."

"I am _not_ clumsy," I barked in protest.

She ignored me, however, and gently placed me on the blue Pokemon bed. She situated me so that I was in a comfortable position, and then covered me with a flannel blanket.

"There you go," she said softly, before kissing my wet puppy nose, "now get some sleep. Tomorrow, we'll get to work on strengthening those legs."

She fondly rubbed me behind the ears, and then rose to her feet. I whimpered, and she smiled, "It's okay, I'm not going far. Just downstairs to eat dinner, that's all."

She then turned, and walked out the door. I sighed and laid my head between my new, black paws. I had nearly drifted off to sleep, when I heard a faint jingling of a collar.

"Daniel? Are you awake?"

"I am now," I mumbled, before lifting my head to look at the Skitty.

"How are you doing?" she asked tentatively; seeming a little apprehensive about coming near me.

"I'm stuck in the body of a 2 foot tall puppy, I lack opposable thumbs, and I have no control of the legs I _do_ have. Oh, and did I mention I'm cold?" She shot me a dangerous look, but I paid her no heed, "So as you can tell, Silly, I'm feeling fantastic. Thanks for asking."

"No need for sarcasm, you selfish little shit," she growled. "You do realize that being reborn is a blessing, don't you? You don't even seem to be grateful for your second chance."

I snorted, "I suppose I'm grateful... but I'd be a lot happier if I hadn't been hit by that damn freight train and none of this had ever happened."

Her guarded expression faded, and she sighed as she walked over to me, and curled up on my bed with her back to me.

"... Silly?"

"Yes, Daniel?"

"What in the _hell_ are you doing?"

"I can't help you much with the reborn thing... but I can keep you from being cold," she said with a laugh.

"Oh... okay. Thanks."

"Sure thing," she said drowsily.

"Hey, Silly?"

"Hmm...?"

"Can you teach me how to battle?"

"... You're asking for battle advice from the _Kitten Pokemon_?"

"Does it appear that I have another option?"

"... Good point. I suppose I can help you, but you have to learn to walk, first. Now get some sleep. Good night."

"Good night, Silly... and thanks."

As her breathing slowed beside me, I began to doze off as well. One thought replayed in my head as my eyes fluttered shut:

_Thank you, Celebi..._

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it. Let me know what you think..**

**~Shelby**


	3. A Fresh Start

Chapter Three:

A Fresh Start

When I awoke, the room was dimly lit. Silly was gone from my side, and I shivered as I blinked to clear my vision. But before my eyes adjusted, I knew what the light was coming from. My sensitive ears picked up on the tapping sound immediately, and I knew that Kelly was typing on her laptop. As her figure came into focus, I was somewhat surprised at what I saw.

Her copper hair was up in a messy bun, she was wearing her reading glasses, and she had a yellow pencil behind her right ear. Her face was bare of make-up, and she was wearing a faded t-shirt, baggy sweatpants, and Pikachu slippers.

Suddenly, I felt intrusive. Like I shouldn't be there. Perhaps I felt that way because I had never seen her looking so... _casual_. She was always wearing nice clothes and make-up when I saw her. Needless to say, I had never seen this side of her while I was human. On the other hand, it may have simply been that I found it awkward to wake up in her room. Whatever it was; it was making me _extremely_ uncomfortable.

I squirmed a bit on my bed, and as I did, my stomach howled its complaint. Kelly instantly whirled around to face me, and then grinned.

"Good morning, little buddy. Did I wake you?"

I shook my head furiously, and inwardly groaned as my stomach garbled once again.

"Oh, you're hungry, aren't you?" she asked in a soothing voice as she crouched next to me.

I nodded, and woofed softly. She smiled warmly at me, and then scooped me up into her arms. I could only stare at her; still unaccustomed to seeing her like that. The computer caused light to flicker across her face as she headed for the door, and we descended into the kitchen.

"You'll have to sit on the floor while I make your bottle," said Kelly. I yelped when my feet touched the icy-cold linoleum floor, although Kelly mistook my cry for hunger-pains.

"You're an impatient little guy, aren't ya?"

Fed up with having to depend on her to move me, I got motivated. Straining every muscle in my newborn body, I shuffled my paws and staggered upward. I managed to lift myself up about three inches, before my new legs buckled beneath me and I tumbled to the floor.

Irritated, I pushed myself up again. This time, I managed to stand all the way up. I swayed on my jello-like legs, and smirked in triumph. I held the position for a staggering 3 seconds, before I crumpled to a pile on the cold floor. I was panting; my breath coming out in short gasps.

The microwave on the counter overhead bleeped, and Kelly snatched my bottle from it. Oblivious to the minor triumph I had just experienced, she picked me up and I greedily began slurping down the formula.

"We've got a big day ahead of us, fella," she cooed lovingly, "you need to learn how to walk."

I bobbed my head in agreement, and whimpered as the bottle was pulled away; completely drained. Back up the stairs we went; and then I was on her floor again. Kelly walked over to the other edge of her room, and then knelt.

"Okay, fella, c'mon over here."

"How in the bloody hell do you expect me to do _that_!?" I barked in frustration.

She ignored it, however, and I found myself rising to my feet again. I managed to stay on my paws this time, and so I took my first step as a Poochyena. The tentative step was difficult, but I had done it.

_Now, to get the others working. _

Tongue sticking out in determination, I began to move forward. Unfamiliar with the rhythm of walking with four legs, my limbs tangled and became a jumbled mess. I yelped as I crumpled into a heap and bit my tongue. Kelly was stifling giggles from where she was, and it infuriated me.

"Daniel, calm down. You can't expect to learn how to walk in a matter of minutes," chided Silly.

I swiveled my head around to see the Skitty laying placidly on the bed. How long had she been there?

"But I want to learn _now_," I growled irritably, "I'm sick of being a dependant little puppy."

"Daniel," she said, "you've been a Poochyena for essentially one day. Don't be so impatient. Natural born Pokemon normally learn how to walk in a few hours, but they have something you don't."

"Such as..."

"_Instinct_. You are a reborn, Daniel. 'Quadroped walk cycle' isn't exactly scripted in your DNA. You'll have to learn the hard way. So get over it, and get going. You've got a lot of progress to make."

I growled and ignored her; returning my attention to the task at hand. I rose to my feet rather easily, and just stayed there for a moment.

"Just a few steps, little guy!" cheered Kelly from the other side of the room.

I gritted my teeth, and then began moving my legs. I got in a few steps before stumbling. Legs splayed, I swayed back and forth. Shakily, I got my paws back under me, and once again began walking forward. Right when I was beginning to get the hang of it, I over-analyzed, and my legs became entangled once again. I ended up face-planted in the carpet, acquiring rug-burn on my nose.

"I'll never get it! Fuck it, I don't even care," I snarled bitterly.

I heard the jingling of Silly's collar, and then she was next to me.

"Get up, Daniel. I'm going to help," she said in a firm voice, "not because I approve of your whiny attitude, but because I can't stand how pitiful this is becoming."

I glared at her with apprehension, but rose to my unsteady paws once again.

"Lean against me," grunted the Skitty as I allowed her to support some of my weight. "Now, match my movements."

Her right forepaw went forward, as did her left hind leg. I followed suit, and then she alternated. It is not only confusing to describe, dear reader; it was also extremely difficult to learn.

"You're getting it," purred Silly, "Now, I'm going to move away. You're on your own."

Training wheels removed, I faltered in my rhythm and nearly fell. Regaining my balance, I looked up to see Kelly grinning at me hopefully; arms outstretched to receive me. Weary from the effort, I gathered up every last reserve of strength and stumbled forward.

Something clicked in my Pokemon brain, and I finally got the rhythm on my own. Four more steps forward, and I collapsed into Kelly's arms; exhausted and completely worn-out. She pulled me tightly into her chest in a hug.

"I'm so proud of you, little one."

* * *

The next day, and my leg muscles were semi-developed. For the most part, I could handle the task of walking; although I still had to be carried up and down stairs. As I grew more accustomed to my new legs, new senses, and every other aspect of Pokemon life, I began yearning for some sort of identity. I was so sick of being called 'little one', to the point where I wouldn't look up when being addressed as such.

So naturally, when Kelly first called me by my new name, I was confused.

"Are you hungry, Shadow?" she asked me as she removed my bottle from the microwave.

At first, I didn't even look up from where I was dozing on the linoleum floor. She cleared her throat, and then tried again, "Shadow, do you want your bottle now?"

I lifted my head, and then tilted it to the side in confusion. "Are you talking to me?" I barked, not making the connection.

"That's your new name, little guy," she said while scooping me up, "Shadow. Dad suggested it. I just love it, don't you?"

I latched onto the bottle, and began nursing it. I had wanted a name, and now I had one. I was a little sad, however. I suppose I had just expected by some random miracle she would want to name me after her deceased friend, and that I would always be called Daniel. But, then again...

I wagged my tail to show her I was pleased. I was getting a new life, a new start, and a second chance. From then on out; a new name represented a fresh start.

* * *

I yelped as a pink tail slammed into my face; sending me careening to the side. I wheezed, and then growled as I looked up at Silly; whom was smirking at me.

"For the love of Mew, _try_ to pay attention, Daniel. I could be taking a nap right now; I don't _have _to help you, you know."

I snorted, and then barked, "So far, you've just been slapping me with that stupid tail of yours. Besides; I'm nervous. What if her parents say no?"

It had been nearly two weeks since Kelly had given me a name. Whenever she would let me outside to 'do my business', I would finish quickly and then meet up with Silly for a quick training session.

The Skitty dove in to Tackle me while I was distracted, but I managed to side-step her; red and yellow eyes still glued to the window.

She sighed, "Look, Daniel. Her parents are either going to let her be a trainer, or not. So why not focus on what you _can _control?"

I reluctantly tore my eyes from the window. It was up to her to persuade them. "Now, try to use Tackle."

I mustered up my strength, and lunged at the feline. I collided with her, and she grunted.

"Not bad," she huffed, before retaliating with a Double-Slap.

I yelped as her tail pummeled me, and finally I surrendered. "This is hopeless," I moaned, "I don't think I can do this. I think I should just-"

"Shadow!" squealed Kelly as she burst from the sliding glass doors, "they said yes! We're leaving for Sandgem in two days!"

She scooped me up and twirled me around; eyes sparkling joyfully. "This is so exciting," she sighed as she set me back down on the cool grass.

She sat down next to me, and Silly shot me an accusing look.

"I know they feel like I'm rushing things, Shadow, but I really am ready to get away from here. I wasn't sure I could do it before, but..." Kelly trailed off; rubbing me behind the ears absentmindedly. "I know you and I can do it, together. I need to get away from Twinleaf, anyway."

I nuzzled her wrist, and she grinned; picking me up. Silly strutted over and crawled into her lap as well.

"C'mon, you two," said Kelly as she scooped us both up, "let's go inside. It's getting chilly out here."

"You still want to give up, and be a house pet?" Silly asked me through a low growl.

I shook my head reluctantly, "How could I do that to her? I've never seen her this happy before..."

A lump formed in my throat for some reason, and I trailed off. The Skitty noticed my hesitation to continue, and said nothing more as Kelly trudged up the stairs to her room; both of us tucked under her arms.

~o0o~

"Darling, are you sure you have everything?" asked Mrs. Walsch; eyes red and puffy from crying.

"Yes, Mom," groaned Kelly good-naturedly.

Her mother nodded, and then began sobbing once again. Kelly's annoyance immediately faded, and she hugged her mother.

"Write often, Kelly," mother whispered to daughter, "and, dear God, _please_ be safe."

"I'll be fine, Mom, really," said Kelly in a reassuring voice as she patted her back.

The haggard women kissed her daughter on the forehead, gave her one more long hug, and then left for her room; no doubt to take some aspirin. Silly mewled, and Kelly picked her up.

"Bye, Silly," she cooed, "I _would_ take you with us, but Mom says you have to stay. She'll need you, you know."

The Skitty nodded; purring loudly as Kelly stroked her once more. She set her on the floor, and then Silly turned to me.

"Take care of yourself, Daniel," she mewed softly, before rubbing up against me like a typical feline, "and good luck to you."

I opened my mouth to say thanks, but she had already began walking off; no doubt heading to the master bedroom to comfort her mistress. Last of all, Kelly's father, Luke Walsch, stepped forward.

"You've grown so much," said the burly man in a hushed tone.

"You have grown into a beautiful, strong, and determined young woman. I could never be more proud of you than I am now, Kel."

It was her turn to cry; tears streaming as she threw her arms around her father.

"Is there anything else you need before you go?" he asked as they parted.

She shook her head; biting her lip.

"Good," he said; voice cracking, "then you're all set. Now get out there and bring me that damn Pokemon League Trophy."

She grinned at him, and then hugged him for the last time. "I love you, Daddy."

He nodded, and then bent down to face me. His bristled chin came inches from my face, and I could smell his minty breath.

"Take good care of my little girl, Shadow," he told me, before ruffling the fur on my head and rising to his feet.

Kelly scooped me up with shaky hands, and then waved goodbye once more.

The taxi drove us to the edge of our small hometown, and left us there. Kelly unfolded her bike that had been crammed in the trunk of the taxi, and then looked towards the path. The tall grass loomed on either side of the dirt and stone, and it ominously blew in the soft breeze. Kelly and I simultaneously gulped, and wondered a moment at the prospect.

We were on our own.

She lifted me into the basket that adorned her bicycle, and drew a deep breath. Then, without a single look over her shoulder; she pushed off the ground, and began pedaling away from Twinleaf. Away from our troubles of the past.

Headed for a fresh start.

* * *

**A/N: So, there you have it: Chapter 3 re-write, all done! For those of you who are continuing on to read the next chapter, it won't make sense yet. (still in the process of re-writing, it wouldn't all fit nicely into this chapter) Sorry; inconvieniant, I know. But I think the re-writes are neccessary. **

**Until Next Chapter,**

**~Shelby****  
**


	4. Not So Sly

Chapter Four: 

Not So Sly

I felt a finger poking me in my shoulder, and I growled to get it to leave me alone. I was curled up the the basket of the bicycle; the sunshine warming my grey fur and the long ride wearing on my patience.

"Shadow, wake up!"

"Just because you're lonely and need someone to talk to, doesn't mean you should be selfish and wake me up," I grumbled as I curled into a tighter ball. Ironically, _she_ wasn't the one being selfish...

Silence.

I yelped as her gloved hands gripped the scruff of my neck, and hoisted me to the ground.

"What the hell?" I barked; still oblivious to the iron-wrought gate we stood in front of.

"Sorry to disturb your nap, bucko, but we're here," she said sarcastically.

She leaned the bike up against the fence, and then set her backpack on the ground, opening it. "C'mon, fella. In you go."

I shot her an incredulous look. "You expect me to crawl in your backpack, no questions asked, and _willingly_?" I sat my furry ass on the ground and yawned, instead.

"C'mon, Shadow, _please? _It'll only be until I get the Piplup. You see; Rowan isn't going to give me a starter if he sees I have you. If we want to get a Piplup, we have to be... _sly_. And to do that, I need you to get in my backpack! Understand?"

"...Well there's no reason to get snippy about it," I said dejectedly as I crawled into the bag.

Honestly; I was shocked she had even thought this through that far. It had never occurred to me that she was probably extremely nervous about the outcome; and _that's_ why she was acting so impatient.

Before she zipped up the bag, I managed to catch a quick glimpse of Sandgem Town. Judging by the lack of surrounding buildings, I guessed we were on the edge of town. We were in front of a gate, which opened up to a dirt path that led up a hill, where the lab was perched. A gigantic windmill turned slowly beside it, and I awed at how large it was. The air smelled sweet and salty, and I faintly remember thinking that's what seawater smelled like. I inhaled deeply, before the bag was zipped all the way and I was hefted onto Kelly's back.

She began the trudge up the hill; sand crunching beneath her feet. When she stopped, she took a deep breath, and I knew we were standing in front of the lab.

"Remember, be quiet in there," she hissed, before pushing the door open and entering the Pokemon Lab.

Her tennis shoes squeaked on the floor; penetrating the silence that had enveloped the facility. I remember squirming in the backpack; desperately wanting to be able to see what the hell was going on.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for Professor Rowan?" asked Kelly in a small voice.

An anonymous voice mumbled something, and we were in motion again. I heard Kelly knock on a door, and then another muffled voice called for us to come in. The door creaked as it opened, and Kelly shuffled into whatever room it was. Irritated with my predicament, I used a clawed paw to pull the zipper down a bit as I was set on the floor. I then peeked through the hole, and caught my first glimpse of Professor Rowan.

He was an older man; with thick white hair, and a massive mustache. His face was rigid, and his eyes appeared cold and indifferent. He said nothing as Kelly sat down, and his intimidating facade made me gulp.

"How can I help you, miss?" he asked in a deep, gruff voice, before glancing down at the backpack I was hidden in with his steely blue eyes, that resembled burning coals.

I hunkered down to avoid detection, and to my relief, his gaze shifted back to Kelly.

"My name is Kelly Walsch," she said quickly, "and I was really hoping you would have another Piplup to give away. You see, I really wanted to-"

"No." His expression hardened, and he folded his meaty arms over his chest sternly.

"...I beg your pardon?"

"I'm afraid all the Piplup have been taken."

"Well, what about the Chimchar?"

"Gone, along with the Turtwig. Sorry, but you're much too late. And you can't get a trainer's license before you get a Pokemon."

Kelly leaned back in her chair, and I heard her sigh sadly. Rowan leaned back in his as well, and glared at her for a moment longer, before snapping his fingers suddenly. The sharp noise echoed throughout the room; startling Kelly and I.

"That's who you are," he said in a softer voice, "I thought I had recognized you."

Kelly shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "You did?"

"Yes, yes," he said, his demeanor suddenly changing to a much more sociable one, "you're that poor girl from Twinleaf. My condolences about your boyfriend. That must have been an awful thing to witness."

To my surprise, Kelly made no attempt to correct him on our relationship status. I was utterly baffled.

"Yeah, that's me," she said in a more relaxed tone, "the whole reason I wanted a Piplup was so that I could get away from Twinleaf. Too many bad memories, you know what I mean?"

The old man nodded, and then sighed heavily, before standing up abruptly. "You've had a tough break, kid. Let me see what I can do to help you. I can already tell you you won't be getting a Sinnoh starter... but let me just see if any of the other Pokemon Professors have a spare."

Kelly went to thank him, but he was already out the door; shoes clacking on the cold, sterile tile.

* * *

The videophone clicked on, and Rowan began pressing the buttons to start a four-way video-chat. The error screen immediately popped up, and the old man angrily pounded his fists on the keyboard.

"Damn technology. Susan, can you come help me with this overly-complex machinery?"

The assistant sighed as she arose from her desk, and strolled over to the Pokemon Professor.

_He may be good with Pokemon, but his computer skills suck almost as bad as his people skills!_

Her thoughts were interrupted as he moved to the side and angrily gestured at the machine. Susan tucked her frizzy brown hair behind her ears, before clicking a single button. The error screen disappeared immediately; and Rowan could hear the ringing of the videophone.

"Thank you, Susan," mumbled Rowan as he took a seat, and waited for the three other Professors to appear.

Birch appeared first, in the upper right-hand screen. The broad, hefty man grunted as he began stuffing things into his bag; seemingly oblivious to the videophone. Rowan cleared his throat, and Professor Birch jumped. Seeing Rowan, he let loose a hearty laugh, before running his meaty fingers through his thick brown hair.

"Rowan, my good friend! How have you been? Listen, I'd love to have a chat; but there was a report of a group of Absol acting rather odd near Fortree. I'm packing up the jeep as we speak, so I can go and study their behavior-"

"Well then I won't keep you long, Birch," interupted the old man, as he rocked back in his chair. "You wouldn't happen to have any extra starter Pokemon, would you?"

The jovial man glanced at his bag longingly, before shaking his massive head.

"Gave away the last Mudkip two days ago. Sorry, Rowan. Look... is that it? I've got to get going, you know?"

Rowan waved a hand, dismissing the endlessly busy man from the video-chat, and said, "Go. That's all I needed. Have a safe drive to Fortree."

Birch grinned sheepishly, before slinging the backpack over his shoulder and giving a short, barking laugh, "Come now, when have you ever known me to be a reckless driver?"

Rowan's mustache twitched as he hid a grin, before a flicker of movement in the left-hand screen caught his attention. He waved goodbye to Birch, before clicking out the Hoenn region and tuning in to Johto.

"Elm, over here," he said.

The much younger man dropped all the papers he was carrying, before stumbling over to the videophone and pushing his glasses back.

"Professor Rowan! What a pleasure. How have you been? I had meant to call you about a recent discovery of mine. Did you know, that you can predict when some Pokemon are about to go into heat by examining their fecal matter? It's fascinating, really-"

"Elm, please," groaned Rowan, as he massaged his temples, "spare me the details. I simply need to know if..."

The white-haired man trailed off, as Elm bent over and picked up a Chikorita; knocking an extra Pokedex onto the floor in the process. The gaunt, clumsy man smiled softly as he rubbed the grass-type's headleaf, before turning back to face Rowan.

"You were saying?" continued Elm, studying the aging man with curious eyes.

"It's good to see you still have a Chikorita, Elm. You see, I am in need of an extra starter-"

"Oh no, I can't send you this Chikorita," explained Elm hurriedly. "Her new trainer will be here to pick her up in about an hour."

Noting the visible disappointment in his elder's face, Elm fidgeted in his seat. "Rowan, have you contacted Professor Oak, and Birch? Perhaps they'll have an extra starter for you?"

Rowan nodded slightly, "I've spoken with Birch, but I've not been able to get ahold of Oak, yet. You seem busy, Elm. I'll let you be, so you can get back to work."

Elm smiled awkwardly, before standing up rather quickly, and nearly dropping Chikorita in the process.

"Farewell, Professor. Let me know if I can do anything else for you."

Rowan nodded in acknowledgement, before clicking off the screen and rocking back in his chair; finger tapping his chin. He was about to give up and return to the girl in his office, when the videophone bleeped, and a man with greying hair smiled warmly at him.

"Why hello there, Professor Rowan. Sorry I missed your original call. I was avoiding the videophone... Elm's been trying to explain his study of fecal matter to me."

Rowan immediately brightened at the sight of his old friend, and gave a hearty laugh, "Been hiding from the poor kid, have you, Samuel?"

Oak hesitated, before grinning as well. "I know he means well, but he stalks me through this videophone, I swear. He's been wanting me to head over to New Bark Town and help him with his research... but I simply haven't the time, nor the patience."

"He'll grow up eventually, Samuel. Elm is a brilliant young man."

His old friend chuckled, and agreed.

"I do have a reason for calling you, Oak," began Rowan, as he tugged at his mustache.

Oak raised an eyebrow, said jokingly, "What, you mean other than needing to see my bright and smiling face?"

Rowan shot him a nasty look, before clearing his throat and proceeding, "Nice try, Samuel. But no. I was actually wondering if you happened to have any extra starters on hand. I've run out, and there's a girl here who I think is deserving of a good, strong Pokemon."

Oak hesitated, and the rolled his chair to the side and gestured to the orange lump that was curled up on the desk beside him. The Charmander twitched in its slumber, before curling into a tighter ball and snoring.

"He's perfect. Would you mind sending him to me, so I can-"

"It's a female," said Oak in a guarded tone.

Rowan furrowed his brow in confusion, before Oak continued. "I've grown quite fond of the little thing. Why exactly should I give her up?"

"Samuel," began Rowan in a sympathetic tone, "this girl is the one I told you about. Remember the train incident? This poor girl's been through so much. And she seems to be kind-hearted. I bet she'd take excellent care of the Charmander."

Oak's face fell, and he glanced at the Charmander sadly as Rowan continued.

"Is it fair to keep her locked up all this time? Don't you think she deserves to get out into the world, and go on an adventure? To get the opportunity to reach her full potential, and someday soar through the skies as a Charizard?"

Oak nodded, before smiling weakly at the man who was easily ten years his senior. "You're right, as usual, Rowan. I'll transfer her over immediately."

* * *

Kelly jumped as Rowan began turning the doorknob, and quickly hid my half-emptied bottle in the backpack with me. She didn't even have time to zip it up before Rowan peeked his head through the door.

"Why don't you come on outside, Miss Walsch? I have something for you."

Kelly slowly got up from her chair, and quickly zipped her backpack up again. I clawed open a small hole as I had before, and felt Kelly swing her backpack gently onto her shoulder. We passed the many lab assistants that were typing away on their computers, and I found myself wondering what we would get.

I personally hoped that we would get a water-type starter. A water-type would be the most beneficial to our team, after all. But as we stepped outside into the cold Sinnoh sunlight, I realized I didn't care what we got. Any of the nine possibilities would do.

"Are you ready to meet your new teammate?" Rowan asked happily.

Kelly nodded eagerly, and Rowan dropped the tiny PokeBall into her outstretched hands. She glanced at it in awe, before abruptly chucking it at the ground.

"Go, Pokemon!"

The tiny sphere bounced, and then began rolling down the hill. Kelly yelped in despair, before she ran and snatched it up; flushing with embarrassment. Rowan glared at her, and Kelly audibly gulped.

"Uh... I guess I don't know how to work these things," she said weakly with an innocent shrug.

"Apparently not," he snapped, before taking the PokeBall from Kelly and holding it up. "The PokeBall is a very sensitive device, and is very simple to operate. Before you can _mindlessly_ throw it, you must first enlarge it. To do this, you simply tap the top of it with your index finger. Allow me to demonstrate."

His finger lightly tapped the shiny red surface.

"Once you've done that, then you may toss it into the air, and your Pokemon will be released. The PokeBall has been programmed to automatically return to the palm of your hand, after that."

He tapped the PokeBall again, and it shrunk. "Simple enough, don't you think?"

Kelly flushed, and nodded slightly. I remember wishing I wasn't hiding from him; so I could lift a leg and pee on his shoes for being so rude to her.

Rowan finally handed the PokeBall to Kelly, and she took it with much more precaution, this time. She tapped it lightly with a finger, and it enlarged as it should have. She smiled, and then, with a renewed vigor, she yelled for the second time, "Go, Pokemon!"

I honestly don't know what I had expected to come from the PokeBall. Yes, I knew it would be a starter Pokemon, from either Johto, Kanto, or Hoenn. But I hadn't the slightest idea which one to expect. Certainly not the one we got...

The Charmander blinked at its new surroundings, before looking at Kelly, and waving a little. Kelly squealed with pleasure, and I grinned. In fact, I would've wagged my tail if it wasn't jammed underneath me in that damned backpack. I felt Kelly kneel, and watched the ground come closer.

"Hey there little fella," Kelly cooed to the Charmander.

It wrinkled its snout up in confusion, and Rowan corrected Kelly in a flat tone. "She's a female."

Kelly raised an eyebrow in surprise, before rubbing the Charmander's head and apologizing.

"Just don't make the same mistake twice, and I'll forgive you," said my new teammate with a crooked grin.

Kelly reached for the Charmander awkwardly, before recoiling and folding her arms across her chest indecisively. "Will she..."

"Just be careful when you pick her up. She doesn't know you, so her flame might burn you. Once you've earned her trust, though, it'll harmlessly pass through you."

Kelly brightened up at this, before asking, "Is it okay if I pick you up?"

The Charmander nodded shyly, and Kelly scooped her up into her arms and cradling her, careful to keep the tip of her tail away from anything flammable, such as her sleeve.

"Thank you so much, Professor Rowan," Kelly said dreamily, before looking up at him with a truly grateful smile.

The senile old man nodded curtly, before saying, "Look, Ms. Walsch, this Charmander has been through a lot-"

"So that makes two of us, doesn't it, Professor? I promise, I'll take excellent care of her," Kelly assured him.

I craned my neck from inside the backpack to try and catch another brief glimpse of the Charmander, but I only succeeded in making my half-empty milk bottle shift and hit me on the head. My startled yip was muffled by the backpack, thank goodness, and I muttered a steady stream of profanities under my breath before daring to peek out the hole again.

Kelly shook Rowan's hand firmly, before setting the Charmander down on the ground next to her. I noticed my new teammate staring up at the backpack, with a rather quizzical expression on her face. Had she heard me?

I nervously backed up farther, and away from the open zipper. Sure, she might have been skeptical... but she wouldn't blow our cover, right?

Kelly felt me squirming in the bag, and noticed the Charmander staring. So, she became nervous herself. Kelly abruptly turned and began briskly walking down the path, towards her bike before the Professor could become suspicious.

"Good luck to you, Kelly Walsch," hollered the Professor from behind us, "and take care of those two!"

Kelly stopped dead in her tracks, before slowly turning to face Rowan. His face was twisted in a smirk, and he leaned in the doorway smugly.

"Come now, you really aren't that sly, Ms. Walsch. I suspected it when you first came in. The zipper was down a little, and I saw a flicker of movement in your bag. I knew for certain, however, when I returned to find you scrambling to zip your bag. It didn't help you left my office microwave door hanging ajar."

"I have n-no idea what y-you're talking about," Kelly stammered.

The Charmander glanced up at the bag, and her eyes widened. "I _thought_ I heard something!" she exclaimed, before waving at me, "Hey, can you see me? Who are you? And why the fuck were you hiding?"

"Shut up! You're going to give us away!" I snapped, instantly regretting it.

"Ms. Walsch? Your bag just barked," Rowan said bluntly, eyes cold and glinting with some unknown emotion.

"You're not going to make me give her back, are you?" Kelly whimpered. "I came here to get the Piplup I promised Daniel after the accident. And, it just kind of went from there-"

"Don't you think if I intended on pressing charges, I would have kept the Charmander from you?" asked Rowan simply.

Kelly raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Press charges?"

"Technically, you were lying to get a Pokemon, which I'm sure breaks some sort of law," he said dryly, before stepping out of the doorway and staring pointedly at the backpack. "I only stopped you, because I was curious what Pokemon you had found. My first guess was a Shinx cub since they're native to Sinnoh, but since it _barked, _I'm now leaning towards a Growlithe."

Dumbfounded, Kelly unzipped her bag and reached in; picking me up and holding me out to Rowan. His eyes skimmed over me, before nodding.

"Ah, a Poochyena. Really, that is quite rare. Did you purchase him from a breeder?"

"My dad did," Kelly said skeptically, before pulling me to her chest protectively. "Look, Professor, I have to know. Can I keep her?"

Rowan glanced down at the Charmander, and she walked over to Kelly's leg, and tugged at her jeans. "I want to go with the human," she said slowly, trying to get the Professor to understand her gestures.

He nodded, and said the words that made my heart soar, "She's all yours."

Kelly beamed, and squealed, "Thank you, Professor! I promise, I won't let you down-"

"See to it you don't," he interrupted.

Kelly stopped mid-sentence, to study him silently. His lack of emotion vanished immediately, as he chuckled a little, "And just to let you know; you're a terrible liar."

~o0o~

Not too much later, the bike was chained to a light pole, and Kelly was standing at the Pokemon Center counter, registering for the Pokemon League.

"Name?" asked the Nurse Joy.

"Kelly Marie Walsch."

"Age?"

"Sixteen."

The Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow, before looking her up and down. "You're a little old to be just starting, aren't you?"

Kelly ignored the question, and the Joy cleared her throat before continuing. "Starter?"

"A Poochyena."

While Kelly went behind the counter to get her picture taken, I stared at the Charmander.

She ignored it for a moment, before turning to me and growling, "Do you _have_ a problem?"

"I just never thought I would see a Charmander in real life!" I exclaimed happily.

It was true. As a human, I had only seen the native Pokemon; Starly, Kricketot, and the occasional Bidoof. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined seeing a Charmander face-to-face. She shot me a weird look, before sighing and trying to strike up a conversation.

"So... do you have a name? Or does she just call you Poochyena?"

I cocked my head to the side. "My name's Da- I mean, Shadow," I said, stumbling over myself.

_Should I tell her I'm a reborn? Better not... It'll make things a lot less complicated._

"Shadow," she repeated slowly, mulling it over.

"Well, don't _you_ have a name?" I asked.

She shook her head morosely, before Kelly flounced up behind us. "Hey you two, guess what?"

She brandished her new trainer's license proudly, before we all made our way to our room in the back of the Pokemon Center. The room consisted of a twin-size bed, a tiny bathroom with a rusty sink, upright shower, and a toilet. There was also a window, with a giant floral armchair sitting directly beneath it.

Kelly dropped her backpack in the chair, before flopping onto the bed an moaning in exhaustion. The Charmander pulled herself onto the bed with her tiny claws, and I attempted to jump onto the bed. I face-planted into the side of the mattress, and yelped as I bounced off and crumpled to the floor.

Kelly and the Charmander began laughing hysterically, and I felt my cheeks burning as I hastily scrambled up the side to join the two. After a few minutes of silence, Kelly abruptly sat up, and we both looked up at her curiously.

"You need a name, don't you baby girl?" Kelly asked warmly as she rubbed the Charmander's head.

The fire-lizard nodded contentedly, and Kelly sighed as she went deep into thought.

"I got it," she said a few minutes later. "What do you think of the name... Claire?"

The Charmander nodded vigorously, and then grinned.

"Good. I'm glad you like it," Kelly said, before crawling beneath the covers and sighing.

Claire curled up into a tight ball near Kelly's legs, before sighing contentedly and falling asleep. Feeling awkward sharing a bed with the human I had once loved, I went to jump off the bed, but Kelly caught me and pulled me close to her chest.

At first, I squirmed a bit. I mean, she had me pressed up against her chest, and I was pinned there by her arm. But as her breathing slowed and her body relaxed, I stopped struggling.

Instead of worrying so much about it, I relaxed as well and snuggled closer; and let the steady beat of her heart against my back lull me into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

**A/N: That's got to be the longest chapter I've ever written... Wow. Chapter-Five re-write may take a while to complete; so consider this a fair warning as to how terrible the next chapter might be. Hopefully, by the time you read this, it'll be fixed up and nice-n-easy to read. :) **

**~Shelby**


	5. Happy Trails

Chapter Five

Happy Trails

When I awoke in the morning, Claire seemed completely back to normal. In fact; I awoke to her curled up to my back. I got up; careful not to wake her up, and then realized it was dreadfully cold. So _that's_ why Claire had been curled up next to me; she had been cold. My next realization was the open window. "Psst, Claire! Claire, wake up!" I whispered. The lizard cracked open one eye and moaned, before shivering. She curled into an even tighter ball and ignored me. "Claire, get _up!_" She growled, but sat up and rubbed her eyes with her tiny clawed fists. "Wha… whaddya want?" she yawned. As she did, a flare of fire escaped from her maw and I yelped in surprise. She jumped up; awake now. She shivered. "Shadow, do you honestly have any idea how painful it is for a fire-type to be cold!?" she moaned. "That's what I woke you up for. It's coming from the open window." She blinked twice. "…So, your point is?" "Just help me get up there and shut it!" I snarled.

We jumped on top of the arm chair directly underneath the window. "Help me get a boost up," said Claire after scrambling up the side of the wall only to fall back down on top of me. "No way! You'll probably bust my back. Boost _me _up," I barked. I'm not particularly a morning person; if you can't tell, dear reader. But my snappy attitude got me a Charmander tail in the face, but this time she wasn't holding back her flame. The fire singed the hair off my nose and lit. "YOWWWWWWWW!" I howled. "Put it out! Put it _OUT!_" Claire smiled. "If you say so," she chirped merrily. Next thing I knew, she had swung her tail down and hit my nose _hard_. "What the hell is _wrong_ with you!?" Claire smiled. "How 'bout a thank you? I just put out the fire on your nose." I growled, but allowed her to climb onto my back and peer over the window ledge while I sulked.18.7 pounds of pure bitchiness. "Whoa. You gotta get up here and see this, Shadow." Claire had scrambled over the edge and out of sight. "And how do you propose I do that?" I snarled. I began to lick my nose as I was yanked up and over the ledge by my tail. Damn lizard. I yelped as she dropped me. "Damn those little claws are sharp!" I rasped; in a foul mood and in just a little pain. "Naturally."

I turned my attention to what was going on beyond the windowpane. A tall girl, around 19, with long, wavy blue hair pulled back into a high ponytail, was commanding an extremely large walrus looking Pokemon to use Blizzard. "Why is that Walrein attacking a tree?" snorted Claire. "They're practicing that Blizzard attack. Some of it must have escaped into our window. That's why they're practicing; to learn how to concentrate it." Our conversation was interrupted as Kelly appeared behind us. "What are you two so interested in?" mumbled Kelly rather groggily. "Cool Walrein. Is that why it's so freakin cold in here?" _Cha, Char! Pooch. _We were glad she came; we hadn't succeeded yet in shutting the window. She hoisted us down and we ran to the door. Kelly slid on her trainer's outfit over her tank top and shorts and we all ran down the hall to watch the training session. When we got outside and rounded the Pokemon Center by our room's window; the girl was patting her Walrein.

"Excellent work, Charlie. I think you've got it down pat." A young, rather nerdy looking boy with black hair and dark green eyes (his most outstanding feature) stared at the scene; looking completely bored, with a Turtwig on his lap. "Excuse me," said Kelly. The young woman turned and faced us. "Oh, hello there." Kelly shook the hand the young woman offered and smiled. "My name's Kelly." "Mine's Raina. And that's Gregory." The boy looked up at his name and his eyes bulged at the sight of Kelly. He jumped up so fast his Turtwig was sent tumbling head over heels as he zipped over to grab Kelly's hand. "Hello, gorgeous. My name," (cue hair flip) "is Greg. And you must be the luckiest girl alive, because, I noticed you noticing me, and I want you to know that I noticed you as well. You are a radiant beauty, and… ouch!" Kelly and Raina busted out laughing as the Turtwig used Vine Whip to drag him away from a somewhat embarrassed Kelly. Claire was giggling, and I was chuckling myself.

The Walrein just stared into space; no emotion whatsoever. "Sorry about that. He's a little… well, perverted. For a 12 year old." Kelly laughed, before explaining we had just come to watch, and that she was new to training, and asked if Raina could give her some pointers. Raina seemed flattered, and said, "Well, I'm not so good at the whole advice thing, but you can see my Pokemon, if you like." Kelly nodded eagerly, before whipping out her Pokedex and watching intently. "C'mon out, guys!" Five more Poke Balls flew from her fingers, and from them appeared a Ludicolo, a Gyarados, a Pelipper, a Lanturn, and a Gastrodon. "That's Morris, Gary, Chipper, Joy, and Hannah. And you've already met Charlie," she said, rubbing the fat blubbery head of her Walrein. I had to admit; she couldn't name worth a crap. "Oh; so you specialize in training water types?"

Oh Kelly; never can anyone fault _you_ on brain power.

"Yes. In fact; you may have heard of me before. I'm Raina; daughter of Misty." When she got nothing but a blank face from my beloved brain-dead trainer, she continued. "You know, as in Misty the Cerulean City Gym leader? I'm her daughter; and the first person to get first-runner up in the Kanto League with all water-type Pokemon." Kelly was lost for a minute, but suddenly the power came back on, and she stumbled backwards. "Oh my gosh!" Raina just giggled. "So, Kelly, are you traveling alone?" Kelly was smiling so wide her face could've broke. Poor child from a small-town couldn't get over meeting her first sort-of celebrity. "No; Claire and Shadow are with me," she replied; giggling like a little schoolgirl. Seriously; is she even awake? But Raina seemed a little amused, if not flattered. "No; I meant, humans." Kelly seemed to realize her stupidity and snapped out of it. "Oh, uh, nope; just me." She gulped before continuing. "Actually, to be totally honest; I'm a little lonely. See, my best friend was supposed to travel with me, but…"

She stopped and smiled; the tears in the corners of her eyes only noticeable to those who knew her well. Raina, however, noticed Kelly's faltering voice and stopped her before she continued. "It's fine. The past doesn't matter," she said gently. "I asked because, well, when I finished the Kanto League, I decided to set out with my Pokemon to explore the world. So here we are, and, well, I wanted to travel with a trainer." "Oh, I see. But, why do you want to travel with a trainer? You have your little brother…" Raina shook her head. "Greg's coming with me because he wants to jumpstart his career as a grass-type trainer. I let him come with me so I could keep an eye on him. The reason I want to come with you is because, well, here; it's just easier to show you." What a fluent speaker.

She pulled a notebook with stiff canvas-like pages out and showed Kelly it. It was a notebook filled with water-color paintings of exquisite beauty. The first was of a towering Milotic bursting out of a lake; the sun gleaming off its scales. The next was an ocean scene. It showed Pelippers and Wingulls flying over head, while a school of Goldeen swam beneath the surface of the water. An Octillery was peeking out of the coral reef while a Corsola sat on the beach. She flipped through many more beautiful scenes, all of water Pokemon. "My passion for painting is only surpassed by my Pokemon." She sighed. "But I've painted myself out on water Pokemon. I want to move on to painting battle scenes, exciting ones! I don't want to limit myself to just water types."

Getting a little bored with her motivational speech, I decided to go talk to the Turtwig. It was sitting on top of a rock; looking rather bored.

"Hi, I'm Shadow. And you are?"

"An extremely unlucky, bored, pissed off Turtwig who just wants everyone to leave her the fuck alone." Wow… we might just get along.

"So I see you're a sociable little reptile."

She hissed. "Bite me." When I dove in to oblige, she whacked me on the back of the head with Vine Whip. Between her and Celebi; I might just retain permanent brain damage. I snarled and sat in front of her; completely interested now and not about to give it up.

"You know; sending mixed signals is not a good thing. Anyone with an IQ over 12 would naturally assume that meant..."

"My name is Shelley, I want to strangle my ignorant perverted trainer in his sleep, and I enjoy moonlit walks on the beach. Satisfied?"

I grinned. "Completely." I trotted away before I got my head smacked again and decided to talk to the blob of fat that was Charlie.

"Hello!" I chirped.

"Sup," boomed his deep, very slow voice. This could be fun. For me, anyways.

"My name is Shadow."

"…Mmmhmm…" Oh boy.

"What do you like most about Raina?" He just shrugged. (which resulted in a sort of jello effect. Thank you legendaries for not turning me into a lump of cellulite)

"Well… I can see you're just bursting forth with conversation and energy," I said sarcastically.

"…Yup."

Giving up, I walked over to Claire and flopped down. She was the only one anywhere near normal. "Fill me in," I grumbled. "Raina and Kelly just decided we're going to all travel together, and Gregory just tried to kiss Kelly on the mouth. Now he won't take his eyes off her ass." I nodded. "Sounds normal. Wouldn't expect anything less screwed up." Claire disappeared from my side in a flash of pink light as Kelly recalled her to save her energy. Me, not having a Poke Ball, was forced to sit there and stare at my new travel "companions" hopelessly. A somewhat brain-dead trainer, a motivational speaker/artist, a perverted 12 year old, a bitchy lizard, a schizophrenic Turtwig, and a slightly retarded lump of blubber.

Yeah; this shoud be fun.

* * *

Well- hoped you liked it, whomever is reading this. Started attempting to use paragraphs to make it easier on the eyes. Can't promise a date for Chapter Six, but coming soon!!

Don't forget to review, please! (:


	6. I Hate Birds

Chapter Six

I Hate Birds

Pokemon Centers are convenient. But that's about all when it comes to their "complimentary meals". "Ick; it's like we're back at the school cafeteria," grumbled Kelly as she picked at the mush that was her breakfast. "Um… I think it's oatmeal?" stated Raina, though it came out sounding like a question. Charlie, too wide to be fitted into the Center, had been sent back into his ball, and Claire was back out of hers; grudgingly swallowing the stale Pokemon food along with Shelley while I lay in Kelly's arms sucking down a scrumptious bottle. When I finished, I felt let being a brat. (You've come to expect nothing less of me by now, I'm sure) "That looks awful," I whispered. Claire looked quite annoyed.

"Bet you wish you could've had a nice, warm, foamy, scrumptious- Damn!" Claire had slashed a hole in the side of the bag of milk replacer and dumped it over my head. I was completely white and smelled like, well, a baby. Shelley was rolling on the floor in laughter, and Claire was smirking. "Don't fret, Shadow. If you hop in my water bowl and shut yourself in the microwave; I can have all the milk I want."

Kelly looked down right at this moment. "Shadow! Why would you rip open the bag!" "WHAT!?" I growled as Kelly picked me up and and took me to the sink near the breakfast bar and washed me off. When I came back, I was dripping wet. Claire was grinning, up until I shook myself off. She got sprayed with water and yelped. "There; now we're even," I panted; tired after struggling against the cold stream of water in the sink. She grumbled but said nothing else.

Shelley hopped off Greg's lap and skipped over to me. "Hi! Did you enjoy your bath?" she asked in a sing-song voice. "Uh.. excuse me?" She smiled sweetly. (Yes, I _did_ say Shelley) "I was just inquiring as to whether or not you enjoyed your bath, and was going to ask if you wanted me to fetch the towel from your trainer's bag to help dry you off." I turned to Claire. "Did I inhale that milk formula or something?" Claire shook her head. "Nope. Been like that since we came inside. It's a little weird, actually." I sighed. "Guess she's a _bipolar,_ schizophrenic Turtwig. Glad to know what I'm dealing with here." Deciding to just shrug it off, I jumped into Kelly's arms and let her gently stroke me until I dozed off. I was faintly aware of the group all standing up and leaving the Pokemon Center.

We walked for a while down Route 202 before I was set down on the ground; rudely awaken. I blinked my eyes to acclimate to the bright sunlight and saw a little boy standing in front of me. He was smirking, and there was a Spearow flapping beside his idiotic little face. Kelly had taken her trainer's stance and had a wad of money in her fist. Our first battle, and our first chance to get some money! "Ready for your first battle, Shadow?" I yawned. "I'll take that as a yes!" I trotted out in front of Kelly and let out a semi-ferocious snarl.

Oh hell; here we go.

"Skippy, use Quick Attack!" yelled the boy much louder than necessary.

"Dodge, Shadow," said Kelly. Her voice startled me a bit. It was calm, and void of emotion. The glimpse I got of her face showed sheer determination and confidence. Confidence _in me_.

I waited till the little bird was near and ducked before rolling to the side. The Spearow hit headfirst into the ground before flipping over onto its back. "Good, Shadow! Now, quick, use Thunderfang!"

A sudden impulse surged through my body. So this is what it's like to be ordered an attack. The feeling was weird; an intensifying itching overwhelmed me; and I knew it would not be satisfied until I had obeyed Kelly's command. I dove into the Spearow and pinned its wings to the ground with my forepaws, before latching onto its throat. Electricity crackled in my mouth as I buried my fangs into the sleek feathers. The Spearow cried out, before going limp; fainted. "Skippy! What the heck?" the boy squalled. Kelly collected her $60 from the boy before jumping up and down, and then swiftly bent over and kissed my nose. "Great job, Shadow! In one hit, too!"

Claire looked a tad jealous, so I went over and licked her. "Cheer up, Claire. You're getting the next battle, and you'll kick ass." She smiled bleakly. "Thanks, Shadow." We were continuing to walk; but I was still shaking with excitement over my first battle.

_But you didn't even get hurt this time around- so don't get too cocky yet._

I shook off my negative thoughts and walked up to hear Raina and Kelly's conversation. "…And I spent all my extra money on that. So that's how come I didn't buy any Poke Balls at the Mart. That milk was also expensive; I gotta save up so I can keep feeding him." I ducked my head in shame. Raina sounded sympathetic. "It is tough when you first start out, but that $60 should help."

Gregory, whom always seemed to sort of trail behind us, now ran up to Kelly and tugged her arm. "Kelly, I wanted you to have this," he said, actually seeming sweet for once. In his hand was a highly polished Great Ball. "Greg, when did you buy that?" asked Raina; seeming genuinely touched her little brother had bought that for their new friend. He blushed. "Well, I didn't _exactly_ buy it. You see- I sorta… you know, found it." "Oh my God you stole it! You little weasel!" Shelley fired a Bullet Seed that hit him in the butt.

"Ouch! Shelley, what did I ever do to you?" She glared at him.

"Oh; you only captured me in that fucking ball and took my freedom. I was hoping that attack would lodge up there so I could be a pain in your ass, too! You know, to return the favor!" She spit on his shoe and began mumbling to herself; a growl escaping every now and then. Claire shot me a bewildered look before we cracked up laughing at the expense of our bipolar/schizophrenic friend.

The next person we came across was a rich-looking girl with a Buneary. "Hello, my name is Veronica Swan, and you are going to battle me and Daisy." _Bun, Buneary!_ The fluff ball chirped. She then pointed at me. "You will _not_ use that filthy little fleabag. Or… _eww_! The lizard is almost as bad!"

"Look who's fucking talking you loose whore!" yelled Claire.

Kelly was managing to keep her cool, but her right eye was twitching. Holy shit; was she ever pissed.

"Let's do it. Winner takes $60." Veronica laughed so hard she almost passed out. "A measly $60? Oh no- the _least _I battle for is $200, and even that is an insult. So, if you aren't _at my level_, I'll just…"

"Shut the fuck up and battle you dumb cunt! We'll show you what we got!"

Everyone stared at Kelly in horror. She didn't _have_ $200! I gulped; and Claire looked terribly nervous. Veronica just laughed in amusement. "Like I said; it'd be an insult. Besides; Daisy is clean, and your Pokemon are… well, _not_. Give them a bath, or, better yet; get some _cute_ ones, and then maybe we'll talk, kay? Ta Ta for now," Veronica said in her condescending tone. The Buneary stuck her tongue out and then skipped along after her trainer.

Kelly's fists were so tightly clenched they were turning white. Greg was off in his own world, sketching in his little notepad, and Raina looked indifferent to the whole situation. "We'll get her next time, guys," murmured Kelly. She gently patted Claire's head with one hand and rubbed me behind the ears. "C'mon, lets get outta here," mumbled Raina. "She's not worth it…" Kelly nodded before rising stiffly. Claire and I walked on either side of her until we came to a patch of grass. Suddenly, a flock of Starly burst away from the patch of grass.

"What was that?" asked Gregory. Suddenly, a little blue and black fur ball was rocketed out of the grass. The little Shinx landed with a thud and lay motionless. Two angry Staravias exploded out of the grass, followed by one very infuriated Staraptor, and began attacking the Shinx. The poor little guy was on its side; defenseless and weak from the attack. Kelly leaped in and shooed the birds off the blue and black lump. They leapt back a few feet; astonished she had shooed them off, before diving in to attack her as well.

Claire and I dove in and began fighting. Claire clawed at the smallest one's eyes before whacking it with her tail. It battered her with its wings and pecked her with it's sharp little beak repeatedly. When its tail feathers caught on fire from her tail, though, it cried out and flapped away in the direction the Starlys had flown.

Mine was much easier. Although it had clawed my stomach and left me quite weakened, I just used Thunderfang and fried it. It stumbled away; squawking and trying to fly before disappearing into the brush. The Staraptor towered over us.

"I'm twice your size and surely quadruple your level. Do you honestly believe you can…" He was cut off short by a vine whip that held him to the ground.

Shelley stood next to us, a grimace on her face as she struggled to prolong the attack. "Well fucking hurry up already and kill this bitch!" she growled. Not taking the time to respond, we dove in and began biting/clawing the bird. Shelley's grip slipped when Claire accidentally scratched the vine; giving the Staraptor the freedom of one wing. He fired up a mighty Whirlwind that blew Claire and I over and knocked Shelley onto her back.

"Now, to finish off that Shinx…" He rose high into the sky and began to glow. "Kelly, that's a Brave Bird attack! Get outta there!" Raina yelled. "I'm not leaving it!" Kelly yelled, holding the Shinx tighter to her chest. Raina was pulling out a Poke Ball, but she would be too late. "Kelly!" screamed Greg. I knew what I needed to do.

I leaped and aimed for the bird's throat. I dove into him and knocked him off course; giving Kelly the chance to scramble away. The electricity crackled and flowed from my fangs; sizzling against the giant bird as well as paralyzing it. The bad thing was; I was hit full force by the Brave Bird attack. I was thrown against a tree and blacked out.

When I awoke; this is what I saw. Raina was patting Charlie and praising him softly. Claire had her eyes fixated on me in alarm, and Shelley was grumbling to herself. The Shinx was on the ground in front of me; stretched out on a pile of leaves. And then I saw the Staraptor; splayed out on the ground; in a block of ice. Charlie had come out and used Blizzard on it; freezing it completely. My energy was completely drained, and the world began to fade in and out. Kelly noticed I was half way awake and kissed me gently. "Thanks for saving my life again, Shadow." The world went completely black.

* * *

Well- sorry it took so long to post this Chapter; my horse is due to have her foal anyday now and we've been busy making preperations. Please _PLEASE _review!


	7. Sparks Fly

Chapter Seven

Sparks Fly

Remember how I said Pokemon Centers are convenient and nothing else? Shit, was I wrong. I was laid on one of their magical machines that heal injured Pokemon and felt energy surge through me. The claw marks on my stomach faded before my very eyes, and the feeling of bliss ended all too soon. "There, all better!" The Nurse Joy set me on the counter and called out a number. Kelly jumped up from her seat and snatched me off the counter, before squeezing me so hard my red and yellow eyes bulged. "Glad you're okay," she whispered. She kissed my nose and then set me down on the ground. Claire leaped up and ran over, before skidding to a stop and rubbing the back of her neck. "Um, hi," she stammered out. "G-glad you're okay. Who else would I set on fire?" I growled good-naturedly before remembering the Shinx. "Hey Claire, where'd the…"

A blue blur tackled me and knocked me onto my side. Two paws firmly pinned me to the ground. "Hi your name is Shadow the funny lizard told me! I would tell you my name but I don't have one yet what's your favorite color mine is the rainbow because they're all so great hey I know lets play!" I was just staring at the Shinx; mouth agape. "Yeah; forgot to tell you, we got another psycho," called Claire from a safe distance. The Shinx finally got off me and hopped to the side; wagging her tail. "Aww… aren't you just the cutest thing?" Kelly gushed.

We walked outside and were a little surprised; there was Kelly's bike; chained to the Pokemon Center as we had left it. "Oh wow, guys!" laughed Kelly. "I seriously cannot believe you let me forget my bike." I then realized; we _had_ walked halfway down Route 202 without noticing the bike was gone. Personally; I really just wanted to leave the bike. I would never admit it; but I enjoyed our walks. But thank goodness; Kelly did the smart thing and sent the bike to her PC box. That way she wouldn't have to walk it when traveling with Raina and Greg. Kelly, who was carrying the Shinx, set it down, before pulling out the Great Ball Greg had given her. "Okay, little girl, time to be caught." The Shinx wagged it's tail, before taking off; zigzagging back and forth through the crowd of Sandgem pedestrians. Kelly stomped in frustration.

"Shadow, Claire, after it!" Although I knew this Shinx was psychotic; I also knew she would be a vital part of our team. So; I began the pursuit. Claire, being a Charmander, began huffing and puffing. "You, go ahead," she panted, "Running… not my thing."

I leapt over a Spinarak that was crawling across the sidewalk and dodged an over zealous kid who tried to yank my tail. When I reached the edge of town after a long chase of her yellow star-tipped tail, she turned and looked concerned as I paused; panting and weary. "You done playing? _Already?_" she whimpered. "Look," I rasped, "you look like a sensible young Shinx… so I'm sure you'll know that those birds are going to be after you once they unfreeze their leader." Her bright eyes dulled, and welled up with tears. "So you would be much safer, and would have a lot more fun if you traveled with us." "But... i don't _want _to be safe!" she whispered.

"Big birdie killed Mama. I want revenge." Her once soft eyes now gleamed with inner fury. It was then that I realized she couldn't be much older than me. (In my Pokemon age) She spoke like a young child, and was terribly playful. Her cloudy expression lightened a bit when I touched her side with my nose. "Tag, you're it!" She smiled. "Thank you for playing with me," she giggled. "I will travel with you now! But you had better run… I tag you easy!"

Deciding to humor her since she had obviously suffered some trauma, I wagged my tail before taking off in the direction of where I had last seen Kelly; comforting a very slow moving Claire. The Shinx darted after me, giggling the entire way. I darted in between some girl's legs and nearly collided with Shelley. "Where's, huff, that fucking, huff, Shinx?" she huffed; gasping for breath. "What do you care, Shelley?" I barked as we ran side by side back to Kelly, Raina, and Greg. "My retarded trainer sent me and Raina sent Chipper to find the little flea bag," she yelled.

Suddenly, I saw a familiar head, and a blue scarf flapping in the wind. "There's Kelly!" I barked, just before I was pounced on from behind by the Shinx. "Gotcha!" she said through my tail; which was firmly gripped in her jaws. Stupid, fluffy, worthless appendage. "Shadow! You found it! Good work!" "You have no freakin idea how grateful you should be I'm a somewhat nice guy. I ran my ass off!" The Shinx giggled.

While it was distracted, Kelly chucked the Great Ball. It slammed the Shinx right between the eyes, before engulfing her in pink energy. The ball wiggled twice, before making a pleasant sound; letting us know we had succeeded. I expected something cheesy from Kelly, but she only smiled and kissed the Great Ball. "Your new name is Kenya." We went back to the Pokemon Center and healed whatever aches and pains Kenya might have had, before setting back onto Route 202. Kenya was out of the ball and back to singing songs. Shelley was mumbling something about us being totally and complete retards, and Claire was moping and looked utterly depressed. I faked a limp and was rewarded with being carried by Kelly and being fed my nightly bottle a little early. As the sun went down, none of us noticed that the frozen form we had fought earlier had disappeared.

* * *

Talon awoke and noticed two things. One. He was cold. Two. He was stiff. The mighty Staraptor tried to flex his wings, but to no avail. He lay there for nearly an hour, slowly losing feeling, starting in his talons, and slowly creeping up to his wings. Suddenly, he heard a trickle. Not able to turn his head to watch what was happening, he rested. But suddenly, his back felt hot. He squirmed; a bit uncomfortable, but suddenly, he felt flames on his back. Talon screamed silently; seeing as his beak was still encased in ice. The smell of singed feathers filled the air. The ice melted away up to his wings. Talon thrashed until he wore himself down. Suddenly, a force shattered the ice encasing his head. Talon, weak and exhausted, slowly tilted his heavy head up and saw a Garchomp towering over him; arm still glowing from the Brick Break attack. The Staraptor struggled up to his feet, and was about to flee when electricity struck him in the back, sizzling and frying him. Talon screamed, and was instantly silenced as he was knocked to the ground. A Raichu, with a dark look on its face, was sneering down at him. "You're coming with me, bird," snarled a voice from behind. Pink energy engulfed the Staraptor as he was sucked into the void of the Ultra Ball.

* * *

Yeah yeah, i know. dissapointing chapter. But my horse will give birth anyday now, and i've been busy with that. More to come later, and i promise, this time it'll be worth reading


	8. I Scream, You Scream

Chapter Eight

I Scream, You Scream

Have I ever told you, dear reader, how much I hate thunderstorms?

Not that I'm scared of them, or anything stupid like that, but still!

So naturally, when thunder boomed overhead, I yelped and ran next to Charlie; who's rubbery blubbery self might repel lightning. I'm not sure he ever noticed me there. That's when I noticed Claire; looking around nervously as the first raindrop fell. It hit her blazing tail and sizzled fiercely. She cried out, and ran to Kelly, who reluctantly recalled her. Lucky bitch.

"Don't worry, Shadow, Kenya. I won't make you go back into your Poke Balls."

"Well how thoughtful. Let me fucking drown out here! I _hate_ storms!" I yelled.

Of course to Kelly, Raina, and Greg; they only heard barking and a short howl. "Aw… looks like he's happy you're leaving him out, Kelly," Raina piped up.

"I love raindrops yes I do, I love rain and thunder too," sang Kenya sweetly.

It was like a chocolate bar dipped in sugar, covered in sprinkles, and doused in whipped cream; so damn sweet it made you sick.

"You're not helping my case here, Kenya! I want her to put me _back _in the Poke Ball, and your singing isn't getting me there!" I snarled.

I later came to realize she probably didn't _own_ a Poke Ball for me. Kenya giggled and sang the chorus again for good measure. Annoyed and wanting to rant, I naturally turned to the one Pokemon whom I could always count on to be grumpy with me.

"Shelley, go beat up Kenya and tie her mouth shut with a Vine Whip, please," I demanded; walking up behind her. She was walking directly beside Greg; which was awfully weird. She _hates_ him!

"Shelley?"

The Turtwig turned to me and frowned. "Shadow, don't break her spirit. It's young and free. Her innocence is golden; and your hateful comments are cutting her down."

I stared; mouth agape. But then I remembered at times she could be schizophrenic/bipolar, so I decided to defend myself.

"Well she's still singing, isn't she?" I snorted.

Shelley shook her head solemnly, before speaking in a softer tone. "It's not Kenya's fault she enjoys life. Maybe you should try being optimistic, and following suit."

Frustrated and maybe slightly in denial, I stomped (as well as a Poochyena can) to the back of the grand parade. As if hoping to worsen my foul mood, the clouds opened up and poured down on me; soaking my coarse fur and chilling me to the bone. Thanks to my enhanced hearing; I swiveled my little triangular ears to pick up on the human's conversation.

"I dunno, Raina. It's starting to look a bit nasty out. Should we set up camp somewhere?"

Greg snorted. "With what tent?" Kelly stuck her tongue out and pushed him over.

"Stop it you two!" shouted Raina. "I think you're right, Kelly. We may have to set up a temporary camp for the night."

Lightning struck a sign up ahead; scaring us half to death. All except Kenya; who enlightened our day with her "free spirit."

"Ooo… pretty lights!"

We all ran into the woods as thunder rumbled so loud the rocks around us vibrated. The thick canopy of trees blocked most of the rain; but the moonlight as well.

"Claire, I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back out. Light the way!"

Claire appeared next to me and whimpered as a tree above dripped next to her. But her flame brightened the forest with dim light, and we were able to find a small clearing. A large oak tree had branches that reached straight out, and were only about 4 feet off the ground.

"That's perfect!" Raina dug into her large pack and brought out the main bulk; a huge tarp. She hung it over three of the branches with help from Kelly and Greg; and we immediately had a makeshift tent. It began to rain harder; and the tarp deflected many raindrops as we huddled in it's cover. Raina and Greg made their beds in one corner, and Kelly in another. Claire looked around nervously, before curling up next to Kelly's back. I crawled into Kelly's arms and sighed. Kenya; surprisingly tired, slept right next to me. The sound of the rain beating on the tarp slowly lulled us to sleep; and it was the deepest, best sleep I'd had in my short Pokemon life.

* * *

The next morning; you could hardly tell there had been a storm. Dew had lightly covered the forest floor. Butterfree, Venomoth, and Beautifly swarms flitted gaily around the air, while other Pokemon played in the places illuminated by the sun. Camp was packed up relatively fast, and we had a breakfast of Sitrus and Pecha berries. Still too young to chew up a berry, (though able to attack another Pokemon; I still don't quite understand that) Kelly squeezed the juice out of the Pecha berry and mixed it in with my milk. Oh, wow! I almost bit her hand I was so eager for more.

"Easy, Shadow!" she scolded.

I licked her hand, before we all headed out of the forest. We wandered out into the blinding sunlight, before seeing the sign that had been struck by lightning the night before. The side of it was scorched, but in the clear daylight, we could read it; _Welcome To Jubilife City_. Shelley was the first to speak.

"Well that's just fucking great."

"I stayed out in the rain for nothing?" whined Claire.

"Camping, camping, oh, how I love camping!" sung Kenya.

"Mmm…" Always insightful Charlie made some deep weird sound that caused us all to take a single step away from him.

"You stupid girls just couldn't have walked 2 minutes longer!? We were right here! We could've- Ouch!" Kelly had smacked him across the face. Raina didn't seem to notice.

"Oh well. At least we know we can survive in the woods if needed." Good old calm Raina.

So, all feeling differently about the situation, (and one not feeling at all) we stumbled sleepily around the corner and faced the wall and entrance gate. We passed through, flashing Kelly's trainer's license to gain free passage into the city.

"You'll have to recall your Pokemon!" chirped a young man in an unusually cheery voice.

"Excuse me?" asked Kelly in an annoyed tone. He tapped a sign with his pen, and then recited what it said along with the other door guard.

"Make Jubilife City the cleanest of all; please keep your Pokemon sucked in their Balls!"

"They're brainwashed!" whispered Claire.

Shelley was rolling on the ground laughing. Just for fun, I walked over to the gate, and crapped right in the middle of it. The guard's eye twitched, but he maintained his ongoing smile as he stated through clenched teeth, "If you want to continue through, recall the little beasts!" He held up a dramatic thumbs up as everyone around me disappeared.

"All, your Pokemon," he hissed.

"He doesn't have a Poke Ball!" Kelly snapped, before snatching me up and storming through the gate, Raina and Greg in tow.

My first glimpse of Jubilife was awesome, I have to admit. There were colorful buildings everywhere, and people milling around everywhere. Oh, and one other thing; I was the only Pokemon in sight.

"Shadow, I think you should stay in my bag. You can stick your head out, just duck down if an officer comes around. We can't be kicked out."

I reluctantly allowed her to place me in her pack and zip it up most of the way; leaving me just enough room to peek out. I didn't mind it all that much- in all honesty. I was warm- and it smelled like my milk powder. We strolled down the main street and visited many little shops; just looking, not buying. We had no freakin money anyways. Kelly (and the human part of me) were drooling over a Poketch in one shop window. Female trainers are issued pink and black ones, and boys are issued blue and silver ones. Kelly and I were both staring at the blue one.

That's my girl.

"C'mon; let's go get some ice cream. I'm buying," said Raina gently; pulling Kelly away from the window. I whimpered; we wouldn't be able to afford a Poketch. We approached a small ice cream parlor on the eastern edge of town.

"Welcome to Sinnoh Soft Serve, may I take your order?"

We all got the special; it's cheaper that way. So Kelly was sneaking me spoonfuls of Banana Nut Sundae when we saw an odd sight. A boy about my age, with flaming red hair, walked into the parlor; followed by a Vulpix whom pranced behind him in a dignified manner. This would be a normal sight; except for Pokemon weren't allowed to roam in this wretched city.

"Excuse me, sir, but Pokemon aren't allowed…"

The door greeter stopped short as the boy gave him the finger over his shoulder and pulled out a chair at the corner table. His Vulpix hopped into it and he ordered two dishes. Kelly was staring intently; as were the other customers. The manager came and talked to them for a minute, before running away as the Vulpix formed a fireball in it's mouth. The boy rubbed her head; in the affectionate way, before checking the time… on his Poketch. Does everyone have one, _except_ us? Greg picked at his ice cream, before throwing it away. That boy is real, real strange. We were just packing up to leave when two officers came in.

"That's the one," grumbled the short, pudgy one.

"Sir, we're going to have to confiscate your Pokemon and issue you a ticket. You'll be able to pick her up at 8:00 AM tomorrow." The taller officer reached out a hand to pick up the Vulpix, and she bit him.

"Gah- why you little!" he grabbed her by the scruff and raised his fist.

The boy, whom had been sitting motionless through all this, had leaped up so fast the table flipped. A sickening popping sound resounded through the parlor as the officer's nose splintered, and blood spurted onto the floor. The other officer hesitated, before running out the door; calling for back-up.

"Let's go," he grumbled as he picked up his Vulpix and strode out; not taking a moment to look back at the officer sprawled out on the floor; writhing in pain.

Kelly had leapt up and found a towel to stop the bleeding, before snatching up me and her bag and storming out the door.

"Stay here you guys. I won't be long."

Oh no.

Raina nodded, and she and Greg continued with their leisure time. We, however, continued with our screwed up lives.

"What the hell is wrong with you!? That poor officer was just doing his job; you had no right to…" Kelly stopped short as the boy whirled on her.

"Don't yell at me, you coward! I see your Poke Ball belt! Why are your Pokemon in their Balls?" His eyes were filled with hate.

"Do yourself a favor; release your Pokemon, grow up a bit before you try training again, and then talk to me, ok?"

His Vulpix had her eyes narrowed at Kelly; a low growl emanating from her chest. He turned to continue his walk away before the back-up arrived, but Kelly just followed him to the "bad" part of town; where it was nearly deserted.

"Um, _hello_? I see _three_ Poke Balls clipped to your belt! Where the fuck are they?"

He dramatically sighed, before sticking his fingers in his mouth and letting out a deafening whistle. Then, he continued walking.

Suddenly, a Nidorina burst out from an alley, and a Kadabra teleported in front of us.

"Happy?" he called over his shoulder.

I heard Kelly grit her teeth and begin to follow him, when she heard a noise behind her.

"There he is!" yelled the short officer from the ice cream shop.

Kelly leapt behind a dumpster and watched as the officers attacked the boy. He was caught by surprise; and cried out as the officers tackled him. There were 3 Pokemon owned by the officers; a Carnivine, a Stunky, and Drowzee. The Drowzee lulled the three Pokemon to sleep, while the Carnivine constricted the boy.

"There ain't no one around, boy," hissed the officer I dubbed "Stubbs."

"You broke my brother's nose; you little brat!"

He snapped his fingers and the Stunky breathed a Flamethrower inches from the boy's face. He screamed in agony. It was then I realized he was just a kid; a kid like me and Kel. I jumped out of the pack and tried to drag her out there. We had to save this guy; even though I didn't like him or his stupid Vulpix.

"Grace! Grace, please, _please_ wake up!" pleaded the boy.

I found his last statement a bit ironic, though. (Although I realized later that was his Vulpix's name)

Kelly jumped out and I followed her. "STOP!" she yelled.

Stubbs, whom had been punching the boy in the gut, turned to her and frowned.

"You're the girl that helped my partner with his nose… You want in?" he moved to the side and gestured towards the boy.

Poor Stubbs. He got the short end of the stick.

"Fuck no!" screamed Kelly, vein bulging. "Look, he's been a royal pain in the ass to me, too, but that's no reason to… WOULD YOU STOP THAT!?"

The second officer quickly stopped smacking the boy and glared at her.

"See here, little lady; just let us do our job, okay? Besides; there's nothing you can do about it; you're totally outnumbered!"

Kelly gulped; and lied through her teeth. "You won't touch me. I just called my friends and told them were I am, and who with. No; what I'm proposing, is a battle."

* * *

Dear Readers:

I'm terribly sorry this was so long in the making. I did a lot of editing and revising, and plus that; i've been extremely busy. First off; June 17th my miniature horse had her foal; with few complications! :D And if you happen to be a horse person- you know that is a total blessing; mini horses don't normally birth sucessfully with no assistance. (I slept in the barn for a freakin month; and i missed it by two minutes!) And then, i left for a mission trip with my youth group last Sunday at 3 AM. We traveled up to Bay City, Michigan, and were there for a week, no power, no laptop. But my crew and i rebuilt a porch for a young couple who were expecting and couldn't afford to build a safe one. It was a powerful Christian experience, and i reccomend it highly.

Until next time, God Bless!


	9. Hell's Alley

Chapter Nine

Hell's Alley

Shoot me.

No, really; no joke. Pump some lead into my head and put me out of my fucking misery. My trainer is a complete dumbass! How am I, a whiny lizard, and an overly hyper static ball going to defeat three highly trained police Pokemon!? I'm not concerned about the Drowzee; I'm immune to his moves, but that Carnivine looks powerful; and if I get knocked out; we have no super-effective moves on it; seeing as Claire is practically worthless and knows no fire-type moves. And if by some miracle we get past it; there's a Stunky just waiting. It'll be more than capable of killing Kenya, and probably Claire too.

The police officer grinned. "You're on, little girl. Rules?"

Kelly stepped forward and I felt her confidence renewed; that oh-so-sweet adrenaline rush of battling making her forget the consequences of losing.

"You win; I leave you alone entirely. I win; and he comes with me, unharmed. Either way, loser pays up."

He nodded, and rounded up his comrades. They handcuffed the boy's hands behind his back and around a small tree. His sleeping Pokemon where tossed and shoved up next to him. Blood was dribbling out of the corner of his mouth, and there was a cut above his left eye. The first officer called upon his Drowzee first; just as I suspected he would.

"Shadow, you're up."

Unlike my first battle, I felt as though I needed to make an impact, so I jumped in front of her and snarled. (it was almost ferocious, too)

"Drowzee, use Hypnosis!"

"Shadow, dodge, and use Ice Fang!"

I caught a slight glimpse of the Drowzee's eyes; swirling pools that made me drowsy with just a glance. But I managed to shake it off and counter with a fierce Ice Fang. I felt all my little fangs become long, dagger-like icicles, and when I bit down, ice coated the head of the fat Drowzee. My new favorite move!

"Drowzee, get up you damned Pokemon! Use Disable!"

Oh crud.

There goes my favorite move. A yellow wave of energy hovered over my head and a painful sensation occurred. Let's just say, it felt like someone was using tweezers to pluck out a piece of my brain. I staggered around before stopping; legs splayed.

Why is his head coated in ice?

"Erm… use Thunderfang, Shadow!"

Now that, I still know how to do! This time, I crunched down on his arm and the electricity flowed. It howled a bit, but easily flung me off. I panted. Of all the great moves Celebi had given me; I still didn't know a dark-type move. This should be fun.

"Drowzee, use Pound!"

It waddled over to me and thumped me on the head.

"Ow!" I yelped. Did he have a brick in his freakin fist?

"Shadow, use Fire Fang!"

My fangs became the color of molten lava, and when I crunched down on the back of the Drowzee's neck, a flame erupted from my throat; scorching him and sending him to the ground; totally unconscious.

"What the!?" The police officer shook his fist at us, before recalling his Pokemon and letting the other officer head out.

"Ok uh… Carnivine, let's battle," said the officer in a monotone voice.

"Shadow, use Ice Fang," yelled Kelly.

Since Disable had worn off, I leapt in to attack.

"Dodge, then use Bite."

Two thick vines shot out from the Carnivine's sides and pushed him off the ground; narrowly dodging my attack. Before I could recollect myself, it latched onto me. Blood seeped from my side. Although it was hardly effective on me, I was behind this giant creature a few levels. I slumped over and was wracked with convulsions; blood dripping rapidly on the ground. Embarrassed to have been beaten so soon, I tried to get to my feet, but to no avail.

"Shadow!"

I never fainted, but Kelly ran out onto the battlefield and used her beautiful scarf to wrap my wounds. The bleeding stopped, and I was able to lay in the dust and watch the rest of the battle commence. Kelly looked terribly pissed. Her eyes were squinted in hatred as she tossed a Poke Ball into the air.

"Claire, show them who's boss!"

"Cha Char!"

Claire jabbed her tiny fist into the air and her blazing tail surged with intense flame.

"Go Claire!" I hollered from the sidelines.

"Carnivine, use Bite."

"Claire, use Dig!"

When did she learn Dig?

A hole magically appeared in front of Claire, and she dove in; narrowly missing the vicious fangs. The officer who owned the Carnivine didn't blink when Claire popped out from underground and slammed into his Pokemon.

"Good, Claire, now use Flamethrower!"

WHAT!? Then I remembered back to the conversation we after we met Raina and Greg; she had talked of something costing a lot… she must have gone out and bought a bunch of TMs for Claire.

Claire took one step back and scorching hot flames erupted from her mouth; enveloping the Carnivine and sending him down; no questions asked. The officer who showed no emotion was furious. He recalled the Carnivine and spit on it's Poke Ball, before shoving it into his belt pocket. I for one, was impressed! That Carnivine had been powerful… and it went down in two hits by a Charmander on level 5! But I wasn't shocked for much longer. Stubbs waddled up, Stunky in tow.

"Stunky, you're up, pal!" screeched the overzealous Stubbs.

"Claire, keep it up," yelled Kelly; matching his extreme excitement.

"Stunky, Fury Swipes, go!"

"Claire, dodge, and use Flamethrower!"

Claire, though my unspoken best friend, was terribly slow. Not only did she not succeed in dodging the attack; she walked right into it. The Stunky raked it's claws over her two, three, four times, before leaping back. Claire was bleeding a little, but nothing too serious.

"Claire, use Dig!" yelled Kelly.

I could tell she was nervous. She had never battled with Kenya before, and hadn't had a chance to teach her any good moves. Surprisingly, however, the Stunky yawned as Claire dug underground. When the lizard had disappeared into the hole, it looked lazily to Stubbs for a command. He nodded.

"Finish it."

The Stunky breathed a Poison Gas right down into the hole; fogging out Claire who hadn't burst through the soil yet.

And this is where i ceased to be impressed. Poor Claire.

I heard a sputtering cough, and then a golden orange fist burst through the top soil. When the head emerged; Claire had a sickly purplish color to her face. She hacked again, before slowly struggling out of the soil. Well, shit. She was poisoned.

Kelly was infuriated; she knew it, too.

"Claire, use Flamethrower!"

Claire fired a weak stream of flames at the Stunky, before keeling over; too weak to continue. Stubbs smirked, and Kelly grimaced.

"K-Kenya, you're up, sweetie," stuttered Kelly, recalling Claire and sending out our Shinx.

The little blue energy ball looked the Stunky up and down before running circles around it. "Battles are fun, fun, fun for every one, one, one!" squealed Kenya.

Oh goody.

My eyes darted to the boy. His head hung limply, and there was still blood dripping out of his mouth. His Pokemon had been recalled by the Drowzee's owner, and he looked bruised and battered. I quickly looked away; knowing the officer's would probably kill him if we lost. There was probably a family sitting at home somewhere; wondering how their little boy is doing on his Pokemon journey; never imagining the likes of this...

Returning my attention to the current battle; I dropped my jaw. The Stunky was huffing and puffing, breathing a deteriorating flame in circles, trying to torch the Shinx. Kenya was giggling and _playing_! Every now and again, she would dart in and slam into the Stunky unexpectedly, but then would leap out and continue running before it could retaliate. Although it was a simple battle plan; it was ideal for a Pokemon that only knew Tackle and Leer, and whom had an unending energy supply.

This went on for another 7 minutes; Stubbs getting more and more red in the face, and Stunky was getting less and less dangerous. Finally, Kenya Tackled the Stunky head-on, and a critical hit was born. The Stunky stumbled back, wobbled back and forth twice, and then fell to the ground; utterly defeated. I was floored. Kenya _actually_ did it!

"Kenya! You won it, babe!" Kelly scooped her up into her arms and gave her a well-deserved hug.

"Did you see how fast I was, Shadow? Did you see me?" Kenya asked when Kelly had put her down. Her yellow eyes pleaded with me, so I decided to be nice.

"No, I didn't see, Kenya." Her face fell. "I didn't see you because you went so freakin fast!"

She grinned and sped around the field once more for good measure.

"She actually did it," mumbled Stubbs thoughtfully, before pocketing the Poke Ball.

"Fine, miss. The bastard's all yours."

Carnivine's owner unlocked the handcuffs and the boy fell to his knees, before weakly looking up.

"Y-You _actually _beat them?"

Kelly's look of triumph turned to horror as Stubbs picked up a stone. He curled his brawny fingers around it, forming a fist, and then slammed the kid's side. A sickening dull thud and crack made me feel sick to my stomach and caused Kelly to yelp. The boy made a short, weak cry, before completely slumping over onto the ground; totally unconscious. Stubbs grabbed Kelly by her shirt and pulled her in close.

"If anyone finds out what happened, missy; we'll find you."

She recoiled at his breath, but not before he pressed four bills into her hand; well deserved for a tough battle. He snickered, and blew her a kiss, before striding away; fellow officers in tow. I snarled; hating him with a passion. Kelly looked down at the broken and bleeding boy, and let out a sharp cry.

"What now?" she cried.

"Need any help?"

We all jumped at Raina's soft voice. (Which was extremely painful for a certain Poochyena) She had apparently been watching the whole time. Greg was sketching away on his stupid notepad; not seeming fazed by the figure laying in the middle of the alley. Kelly sighed as she crouched next to the boy.

"Raina… I need you to take Shadow, Claire, and Kenya to the Pokemon Center. Go to the one on the far edge of town; there's a Poke Mart right next to it. Stock me up on Potions and Revives; and maybe grab an Antidote or two. Then bring me any supplies I might need to tend to him." She nodded at the boy. "I think he has a few broken ribs; and the bleeding from the mouth screams slight head trauma. I'll need a lot of gauze, and pain medication. Oh; and some bottled water…"

She rattled off a list of items, but I had frozen stiff. Her first sentence was haunting me. How could I _leave_ her? All alone in a shitty neighborhood, with a dying kid in her care? I had no doubt she could save him; Kelly could do anything she set her mind to… but who would save her if she needed it?

Next thing I knew, Raina had scooped me up and carried Kenya and Claire's Poke Balls in her free hand. Shelley was nowhere in sight; undoubtedly in her Poke Ball because she could be rather hateful. I howled as we rounded the corner; and Kelly was out of sight. Greg had helped her move the boy to the shelter of a small abandoned warehouse, and had just caught up to us when I let loose another mournful howl. What would she do without me?

Correction; what would I do without _her_?

* * *

Sorry this one was so long in the making. I hope you enjoyed it. Next week should be better- it's a promise (: If you have time, please review


	10. Seperation Anxiety

Chapter Ten

Separation Anxiety

"Shadow, shut up! You've been howling the whole time!"

I bit Greg on the arm.

"Don't snap at me you under aged pervert!" I snarled.

We were totally and completely lost in the shitty brain-washed city of Jubilife. Luckily, since it was dark, I was able to be out of the back pack.

"We're almost there, Shadow," cooed Raina; ever calming and kind.

I ached all over; and my fur was sticky with blood. When the Pokemon Center reached sight; I was so relieved, I let out a big sigh. But it took all of my strength not to worry about Kelly; all alone in a warehouse, taking care of that boy.

* * *

Kelly shivered. Greg and Raina had left just minutes before, and she already felt utterly helpless. The boy moaned, and she thought for a moment he might awaken.

No such luck.

_Okay, think, Kelly… what did mom do to help that one trauma patient? _

Since he had passed out from the pain of the fractured rib, she didn't worry about stabilizing his neck. She used his backpack to elevate his feet, and then searched in it for identification. She found his trainer's license, and was surprised to see it was fairly new.

_Weston Greene. Age 17. Starter: Vulpix._ "Okay, Weston. On second examination; you seem to have one or two fractured ribs, and possibly no head trauma," she whispered; for her reassurance more than his.

She moved his arms away from his sides to prevent further injury, and then carefully wrapped his torso with her scarf; forming a makeshift chest binder. Although it was an outdated treatment; Kelly knew it was better than nothing; seeing as she couldn't make an unconscious boy swallow a pain pill. She felt an overwhelming sympathy for him as she dabbed the cut on his forehead with a rag from her backpack.

"My mom was a nurse, you know," she talked to him absentmindedly as she tore strips from her jacket to form temporary gauze.

"She always wanted me to follow in her footsteps." Kelly paused to listen to the street noise occurring beyond the busted window, before continuing in a softer voice. "But I wanted to go on a journey. Now I'm glad she taught me some things."

When she had finished wrapping the cut, she searched the small warehouse. She came back to his side ten minutes later when she heard him begin to moan. She dropped the pile of helpful items she had rummaged up and knelt next to him. His eyes fluttered open suddenly, and Kelly nearly jumped. When he had been limp and helpless; she had felt needed. But now that he was awake, she felt self-conscious.

Tiny.

His comments from before swarmed her head, and so she was surprised when he broke the silence.

"Thanks."

She nodded, and then went to his bag. He watched her carefully. Weston had learned to never trust anyone. Not "friends", not family, no one. He smiled as she pulled out his three Poke Balls. His Pokemon were the only exception.

There was Grace; sweet, sweet Grace. He had always loved the Fire-type. When his uncle sent him a Pokemon; he had been ecstatic it had been a Vulpix.

Then, there was Anne. He had caught the tiny female Nidoran as a baby. She was terribly tough, and got stronger every day.

And then of course, there was Uno. The Abra had been mistakenly caught by a dull young bug catcher. Weston had convinced the boy to trade the Abra for a little money so he could afford a new net. He had named the tiny Abra Uno because it had only known one move (Teleport) when he got him. Weston knew it was cheesy, but still… somehow it seemed to fit; and the Kadabra sure didn't seem to mind it.

"I thought you might want your Pokemon with you. They should have woken up by now." Kelly gently placed them next to Weston and stepped back; feeling terribly out of place.

He lifted his arm and gasped; pain taking his breath away.

"Shit! That hurt," he grumbled.

Kelly suppressed a smirk. "You have at least one fractured rib, genius. And maybe a slight concussion."

He frowned and stared at her doubtfully.

"My mom is a nurse," she mumbled.

_Why is he so damn intimidating?_

"So I guess I underestimated you, huh?" he asked her.

She smiled at his attempt to be kind. "It's okay. I shouldn't have been a wimp. I should have trusted my Pokemon to be turned loose for a while."

He shook his head. "No; I'm just arrogant. The way you battled with them… they wouldn't have worked so well under you if you mistreated them."

Weston sighed and for the first time looked around.

"Nice place you got here."

"Hey; it's better than the alley," she shot back.

He raised an eyebrow at the sudden burst of sarcasm, and then nodded.

"Do you want me to let your Pokemon out, since you won't be sitting up anytime soon?"

He grimaced.

"Yeah; they'll wanna know I'm okay, I guess. And how long will I be on fucking bed rest?"

She ignored him and tossed the Poke Balls up in the air. The three Pokemon appeared, and took in their surroundings.

_Vul, Vul!_ screeched the Vulpix.

She darted between Kelly and Weston and hissed protectively; smoke curling away from her maw. Kelly fell over backwards and scooted away; surprised by the tiny fiery fox.

"Grace, cool it!" he said sharply.

The Vulpix backed off ever so slightly, but kept a watchful eye on Kelly.

"Now then," continued Weston once his Pokemon saw he was breathing, "we have unfinished business. What is your name?"

"Kelly Walsch. And what should I call you?" she asked.

She conveniently didn't mention she had snooped through his things and found his trainer's license.

"Call me Wes."

An awkward silence followed, and Kelly decided it was time to get back to the pile of items she had found. A baseball bat, a half-gone package of bottled water, three D batteries, a cracked flashlight, a wooden rocking horse, a hole-ridden tarp, and two large boxes filled with packing peanuts. Weston watched her in amazement as she tentatively rummaged through the useless junk.

"Okay; I just found half a can of beer and two-thirds of a turkey sandwich. I have a feeling we're someone's guests."

"Well crap; that's not good," mumbled Weston. "This is the ass-end of Jubilife, too."

Kelly picked up the wooden baseball bat and ran her finger across it's rough surface.

"We'll just have to chase him off, I guess."

At first, Weston thought the younger girl was joking. But when he saw that determined look on her face and the way she held the bat, he stifled a snort.

"And how do you propose we do that, exactly?" he asked; his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"We? I was certain you were the one who took an ass-whooping from three slightly retarded officers," she retorted sharply.

His face flushed a dangerous red, but Kelly ignored him as she continued finding useful items in the warehouse.

"Coming from the girl who's probably only been a trainer for, what, a week?"

She whirled on him; eyes gleaming with fury. "You better watch it, Wes. If you jam that stick any farther up your ass it'll puncture a lung; and you won't get any fucking help with that from me!"

Kelly was aware of a low growl emanating from Grace as she walked over and flopped down angrily next to her bag; bat in hand.

_Poor Shadow. I bet he's forlorn and missing me right about now…_

"Ahh…" I moaned blissfully. We had finally reached the Pokemon Center after a terribly long walk. I was laying belly-up on the amazing, magical machine that heals. All my cares were forgotten. The healthy equivalent of marijuana. Claire and Kenya were obviously under the machine as well; for I could hear their moans mixing with mine. When it lifted, my cuts had completely vanished. Thank _you_ modern technology!

"Here are your Pokemon. Please come again!" chirped the ever-cheery Nurse Joy.

"Thanks," mumbled Raina.

I was in an exceptional mood; that is, until Greg blessed us with his comments.

"Hey Shadow; not missing Kelly so much anymore?" piped up Greg.

_"Idiot!"_ hissed Raina.

My lower lip began to tremble.

Being permanently bonded to the first thing you see really bites.

* * *

"Uh… Kelly? _Kelly… _KELLY!"

"Wha…" she moaned. She realized she had fallen asleep and jumped; instantly awake.

"Remember that baseball bat you had?" he asked; voice a little shaky.

"…Yeah, why?" She heard a loud crash and a bang.

"Now might be a good time to use it." Kelly grasped the bat and quickly moved to his side.

"Someone's been trying to bust down the door for about half an hour now," he informed her.

Half an hour? Had she been out that long?

"And what do you propose I do about it?" she hissed. She noticed it was completely dark outside. She must have slept for hours.

"Just… you know, be ready."

She was wondering what he meant when his voice boomed; echoing off the walls.

"Anne, Poison Sting! Uno, Confusion! Grace, Flamethrower!"

Anne busted the door down and they all fired their attacks. Through the purple energy, the flames, and the poison barbs, however, Kelly could see what they were attacking was not human.

"STOP!" she yelled.

The three Pokemon jumped at her command and paused long enough for Kelly to get a glimpse of the bird they had assaulted.

The Pelipper glared at them all; looking terribly pissed. Kelly stammered out her next sentence timidly.

"Uh… hiya, Chipper… did Raina send you?"

She yelped as he promptly used Spit Up on her.

* * *

Rejoice; we made it to Chapter Ten. I honestly didn't know if i had the commitment to stick with this story this long; but i'm enjoying myself too much to stop. Thank you to all who reviewed! If you have any suggestions, feel free to PM me. Chapter Eleven should be up within a week! (:

* * *


	11. The Feeling is Mutual

Okay, so normally i leave all my blah blah writing and crap for the bottom so you can skip it if you like. But first; disclaimers. Rebirth is the original idea of srgeman; from his story A Little Night Music. If you haven't read it, seriously; drop this story and read his. It's amazing. That's the story that inspired me to give writing a shot. Oh; and for all those idiots who didn't know; i do not own Pokemon. Nor will i _ever_ own Pokemon. I'm a simple farmgirl from Missouri and the coolest thing i own is a new iPod nano. Now; enjoy the chapter (:

* * *

Chapter Eleven

The Feeling is Mutual

_Kelly-_

_I know I promised we'd come back and bring you the requested items; but I don't particularly feel comfortable traveling through the shady part of town with my little brother. So; I sent Chipper. (As you can see) The sack he's carrying has everything in it. He's nervous about his trip; so please be kind to him and praise him a lot. We'll be there early in the morning. I hope you understand._

_Raina_

Kelly refolded the note slowly and carefully looked up at the hovering pelican-like bird.

"So… Chipper. Forgive me?"

The nasty glare shot her way, coupled with the Water Gun that followed let Kelly know that she was _so_ not forgiven. She looked at her clothes that were covered in soggy-wet vomit and sighed.

_Leave it to the Hoenn government to discover a move that involves barf._

Wes was trying so, so hard not to laugh for two reasons. One; it wasn't nice. Two; it fucking hurt! He failed terribly and began laughing and gasping at the same time. Grace thumped him upside the head with a scarlet paw and put him out of his misery.

"Thanks Grace… I think."

"So… thanks for bringing the note and the stuff," continued Kelly; ever determined to be forgiven.

The Pelipper simply took off; flying as far away as he could from the broken boy, pissy Vulpix, battle-ready Nidorina and Kadabra, and apologetic (if not somewhat sticky) girl.

"You know… it's ironic his name is Chipper. I thought for a moment there he might swallow your head."

Kelly ignored him as she looked through the bag Raina had sent. She had become quite good at that. She gave Wes two aspirin and restrained him as she removed her scarf and replaced the torn jacket strips with proper gauze.

"Now what?" asked Wes as Kelly sat down and sighed.

"Now; you look away while I change into my spare clothes."

Wes grinned. "And how will you make me?"

She crawled to her feet, and then raised her right foot over his side.

"Gosh! Okay, fine you psychotic wench!" She smiled and stood on two feet once again.

"That's better. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

He covered his eyes, but watched through the cracks. Kelly caught him, though, and moved into the shadows.

"Not even in your dreams, fire crotch!" she called over her bare shoulder.

Wes was fine with that. He didn't need to see her naked. He just liked messing with her- making her mad. She was _funny_. Way better than Kanto girls.

_Maybe it's the cooler air, _he wondered, as he recalled his Pokemon for the night.

She came back dressed in an outfit identical to the first. (Minus the pelican vomit)

"What time is it?" asked Kelly through a yawn.

"It's a little painful to move right now. Mind checking my Poketch for me?" he asked sarcastically.

Kelly lifted his arm and announced it was a little after midnight. She grabbed her bedroll out of her trainer's bag and had just laid down when Wes shot another question her way.

"Why don't _you _have a Poketch?"

"I don't have much money. Can't afford one," mumbled Kelly; not wanting to discuss it.

"Do you even want one?" asked Wes- pushing the topic even further.

"Of course I want one! But even f I could afford one… I wouldn't be able to get the blue one. The pink one looks retarded." She chuckled softly. "So in other words; I'm destined to not be happy in that subject."

Wes was thoughtfully quiet. Their conversation dwindled down, and soon, they both fell asleep.

* * *

"I see it! I see it! There's the warehouse!"

I had never felt so giddy. Kenya and I ran in equal excitement and leaped into the open arms of Kelly. She had been expecting us.

"Hey guys! Where's Claire?"

"I'm coming, damnit!" panted the Charmander from behind us.

It was 8:00 in the morning. I had gone almost twelve hours without her. And let me tell you, dear reader, it was hell. I curled up in Kelly's arms as she and Raina made arrangements to have the boy, erm, _Wes_, moved to the Jubilife Medical Center. He agreed to tell the doctors he was attacked by a gang so as not to rat out the officers. Yet.

We called the hospital and they sent an ambulance to pick him up. I never realized how cramped they were. But the nurse inside was really nice.

"We'll take good care of him," she reassured me; though I didn't particularly care.

Not that I'm a bastard; it was just because I didn't know him and never thought I'd see him again.

"Would you like me to contact your family, honey?" She asked him as she inspected his fractured ribs. He winced as she prodded them.

"I don't have a family," he murmured. Kelly raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Sucks for you, bud. Who's gonna pay the fucking bill for ya, then?" yelled Shelley. Her eyes glinted from the sunlight streaming in the roof window.

As if he read her mind, Wes piped up, "I can pay for my treatment, though. I have… some money." He grinned slyly and I growled. I didn't like that guy.

We arrived at the hospital fairly quickly. When he was settled into his room, the nurse left us alone. Raina and Greg went down to the cafeteria. Kenya went with them; fascinated with the escalators. She thoroughly enjoyed running up the down one as fast as she could. Energetic little bitch. Maybe she'd get tired. Or, even better. Maybe she'd get her tail stuck.

Grinning to myself, I flopped down next to Claire and Shelley. I was really starting to get along with them well; once you got past the schizophrenia and moodiness. Speaking of schizophrenia, Shelley was in a good mood.

"It seems your trainer likes that Wes guy pretty well," she commented.

"He seems nice. Maybe he'll travel with us!"

"Bad idea!" me and Claire shouted in unison.

"He actually seems sane, Shelley. Anyone who travels with _us_ is doomed to become crazy. Absolutely friggin insane," explained Claire.

"Actually… I just think he looks like an ass." They both glared at me, and I shrugged as well as a Poochyena can. "What? His attitude screams 'prick'."

I got a mouthful of lizard tail. "You're one to talk, Shadow."

Next thing I know, there's a flash of pinkish light and the Vulpix from the ice cream parlour was staring at me face-to-face.

"Why don't you get to know Kelly's Pokemon, Grace?" called Wes's voice from beyond the bed.

She shot her trainer a death look, before walking to the opposite side of the room and flopping down.

"… Well _she_ certainly seems pleasant," grumbled Claire.

"Well _you're_ one to talk, Cla- ouch!" For the record; Charmander tails hurt.

"Would you _stop_ it you two!" shouted Shelley. "I'm going down to make sure Kenya doesn't get stuck in the escalator. Man; I can't stand being around you two sometimes!" She sighed exasperatedly and walked out into the hall to find Kenya.

Claire and I turned to each other and busted out laughing. After recomposing ourselves, Claire sighed.

"I'm going with her. Maybe Raina will buy us food." She waddled to the door and turned to me. "Coming, asshole?" she teased.

"Nah. Unless they sell bottles of milk; I'm pretty much screwed in the food department. Bitch." She shook her head slowly.

"Suit yourself, _Poochy_."

I winced. That cut deep. Why couldn't she have just called me a prick? But before I could shoot back a nasty comeback; she was out the door. Kelly was sitting on the edge of the bed, talking to _him_. I bristled. How I hated that guy. I was interrupted from my hate rant, however, when a smooth voice startled me.

"Wow; you're trainer looks like she's a pretty big whore." I whirled to see the Vulpix (Grace, was it?) sitting in front of me; licking her extended paw like a cat.

"Excuse me?" I snarled.

She paused from her grooming long enough to shoot me a nasty look.

"Look wolf-boy; I have my reasons for thinking she's a hoe. Get your trainer to leave Wes the fuck alone or I'll torch her," she snarled.

I avoided her eyes. I was sure they would make me shrink away; an involuntary reaction.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure _your _trainer isn't exactly a friggin saint," I snorted.

She growled.

"I want him gone too. And believe me, little Vulpix; I have better reasons than _you_ to want _him_ to get the fuck away from _her._"

"So we share the same goal, don't we, assmunch?" she hissed.

"Yeah, wench. Guess we do."

She snarled and her eyes bore into mine; our gaze locking for an instant in time. Suddenly; her liquid brown eyes faded out and a new scene was born.

_I saw a young girl of about 18 walking down the street. Actually, more or less, she limped. I could see braces around her ankles; and she had a walker. She was terribly frail. Out of nowhere, a man walked up behind her. She didn't seem to notice. He swiftly grabbed her walker and threw it; ensuring she couldn't get away. Then; he dragged her down an alley. I tried to close my eyes and cover my ears; but I was frozen, forced to watch as he mercilessly raped her. She was sobbing quietly; begging him to stop. When he finished his silent crime, he pulled a knife out; and slit her throat. She let out a silent scream, before going totally limp. He wiped his brow with the back of his sleeve, before standing up and walking away; never looking back…_

I was sobbing by time the vision stopped. When I looked up, I could see that Grace was panting and a bit teary as well. Oh hell. I knew what this meant.

We looked at one another with renewed respect, and said in unison,

"You're a reborn."

* * *

Well? i haven't gotten many reviews, lately. If you're reading this, and even _slightly_ enjoyed it (or hated it) please review. I write because i love it; but reviews tend to make me eager to update faster. (: Thank you to all those who _have_ reviewed. It literally makes my day.


	12. Rookie Mistake

Disclaimers: (yay, what fun)

The only things i own in this story are the OC's... which are, all of them, actually. (:

If i owned Pokemon; (which for the record, i don't) I'd not only be a millionaire; i'd kill of the majority of the legendaries, burn the tapes of the anime series, and rewrite the game plots to be a bit more... interesting. hehe.

* * *

Chapter Twelve

Rookie Mistake

We weren't even given the liberty of explaining ourselves; because it was then that I noticed Kelly and Wes were screaming at each other. Next thing I knew; she had picked me up, and we were out the door.

"Sorry Shadow; I couldn't be near that asshole a moment longer," she grumbled. "He called me a _kid_, Shadow. A freakin kid! I am _not_ a child!" she stormed.

I rolled my eyes.

"Well technically, you _are _a kid, Kel. And, hey; I hate the guy too… but how is that so damn terrible?"

She hugged me closer. "Aw, thanks Shadow. I knew you'd understand."

Damn this Poke Speech.

"It's just… he's so fucking condescending! He's only a year older than me, and he treats me like, like… well you know what I mean, don't you boy?"

I yawned.

"Thanks Shadow. I knew I could count on _your_ support," she grumbled.

I was just glad to get away from him. That guy gave me the creeps. But his Vulpix… I wanted to know more about her human life. The only other reborn I'd ever met was Silly… at least; to my knowledge. That's when it hit me. Grace and I had had to lock eyes before… yes; that was it!

I squirmed in Kelly's arms and whimpered; signaling I was hungry.

"Oh, fine, you big baby. We'll go get your bottle."

We almost collided with Kenya on the escalator. "Kelly!" she squealed, leaping into her arms and nuzzling her. Ick. Women stuff.

Then I remembered my mission. I tried to look into Kenya's eyes; but she was so busy moving around... Oh well.

We got to the bottom of the escalator and I saw Claire and Shelley in the lobby. I leaped away from Kelly's arms and darted over to them.

"Hi Shadow!" chirped Shelley. Ignoring her, I padded over to Claire; who was eating some Poke Food. I nudged the bowl away.

"Hey; what the- whoa, what do _you_ think you're doing?" I stared deep into her eyes; but nothing.

"Back up Jack," she growled, before slamming me with her damn tail. "Are you off your nut? What the hell is _wrong_ with you?" she demanded.

I grumbled and slunk away. Claire looked me up and down, and then went back to her food; mumbling.

"Mew, give me strength."

Kelly caught up with us and we promptly left. Finally. I was beginning to think we would _never_ get to our first Gym. Though… between Kenya, me, and Claire; the only two effective moves were Ice Fang and Dig on Roark's rock-type Pokemon. What fun we're destined to have.

Once outside; I decided to test my newfound knowledge with Shelley. _Bad_ idea. The sourpuss was back; but I found out far too late. I stared into her eyes, and she hissed.

"You fucking creep. Get the fuck away from me before I fucking beat the shit out of you. Fuck!"

Now; I'm known for bad profanity myself, but this was ridiculous.

My face flushed from embarrassment and I once again slunk away; nothing in her eyes but pure, unadulterated crazy.

"Hey Shadow. If you're done harassing poor little Shelley; why don't you come drink your bottle you wanted so badly?"

"Poor my ass!" yelled Shelley.

I had to agree with her on that one. But I trotted over for my food nonetheless. I suckled down on my bottle contentedly; all frustration melting away as warmth crept through my body. Some say I'm easily satisfied.

But it ended all to soon; we had to hide from trainers. Because once you exit a town; ruthless bug catchers follow you everywhere; searching for a battle just to further prove their incompetence. Actually, believe it or not; I like a few bug Pokemon. If trained right; a handful of them can be useful and strong, but to have a whole string of them… that's asking for trouble.

Kelly recalled Claire and Kenya; wanting to keep her Pokemon a surprise in case we _did_ get volunteered for a battle. Boy were _we_ in for a treat.

We walked down the path a ways, rounded the bend, and came face to face with…

"Oh; it's you again," said the girl; sounding terribly disappointed.

"Hello, Veronica," said Kelly in a monotone voice."Still to much of a chicken-shit to battle me?"

"Have enough money to pay for your ass- whooping?" said the normally proper Veronica

Shelley laughed so hard; she began to cry a little.

"I gotta use that sometime," she gasped between giggles. She shot a vine out and wiped her tears.

"No, in fact, I don't. No amount of money could enable you to kick my ass!" yelled Kelly. Ah; the queen of comebacks.

"We'll see about that!" screeched Veronica.

This was getting heated.

"Cat fight! Cat fight! Cat FIGHT!" Shelley and I chanted from the sidelines.

"Go, Flossie!" A Sunkern materialized in front of us.

"Go, Claire!" Veronica winced as my lizard friend appeared and blazed her tail.

"Flossie, Mega Drain!"

"Claire, Dig underground to dodge!"

Both Pokemon obeyed. But when Claire burst through the soil and rammed into the Sunkern, it latched onto her and used Mega Drain. They separated and squared off- glaring intensely at one another. Neither attack had done much damage, but still.

"Claire, Flamethrower!"

"Flossie, dodge!"

Claire, Mew love her, was as slow as they came; and wasn't able to fire the flames before the Sunkern had leapt to the side.

"Ingrain, Floss!"

_Floss_? Really?

The Sunkern buried roots into the ground and began sucking in health.

"Claire use-"

"Flossie, Bullet Seed, now!"

The little bugger began firing seeds rapidly at Claire, and every time she'd open her mouth to fry the damn thing, she'd get seeds lodged in her trachea, in her eyes, and basically pelting her everywhere. It went on like this for a few minutes before Kelly's brain decided to join the fun.

"Oh, Claire! Dig a hole underground, but don't surface. Just hide there!"

"I'm no coward," snarled the Charmander as she attempted once more to torch the Sunkern.

"Claire! Swallow your pride and just do it!" I yelled frantically from the sidelines- knowing what Kelly had in mind.

Claire reluctantly dug into the ground; a little ways straight down, then parallel to the ground. There; she sat down and waited.

"You can't hide that nasty lizard forever, Kelly," chided Veronica.

"Flossie, regain all of your health, and then fire a Bullet Seed down that hole!"

"Get ready Claire," whispered Kelly; though I doubt the earth-bound Pokemon could hear her.

The Sunkern retracted her roots, and then followed her trainer's orders by making her way to the opening in the ground. She peered her head over the edge and opened her mouth to fire when Kelly took action.

"Now Claire! Flamthrower! Give it all you got!"

The tunnel channeled the flames; letting the full force torch the Sunkern. She flew in the air from the force of the inferno and screeched in pain, before landing with a thud onto the hard soil. Veronica recalled Flossie before sending Kelly a death look.

"Let's see if you can handle this next one without cheating," yelled Veronica.

Cheating? Since when is using your brain _cheating?_

"Lola, c'mon out!"

A little pink slug plopped onto the field.

"Oh shit," grumbled Claire at the sight of the Shellos.

"Lola, Water Pulse!"

"Claire, dodge, then use Scratch!"

The dodging part went well; but the attack part… not so much.

The Shellos dodged the attack with ease and fired Water Pulse again. Their was a nasty sizzling sound as Claire's tail took the blunt of the attack.

"Yow! Okay, that hurt a little," she rasped; standing up and rubbing the back of her neck.

"Lola, Mud Bomb!"

"Claire; try to dodge it!"

The Charmander managed to jump over the first exploding wad of mud, but not the second. Claire tumbled head over heels and landed face down on the path.

"Return, Claire. You did really well," whispered Kelly to the Poke Ball. She turned to me.

"Ready to have some fun, Shadow?"

_Pooch!_

I leapt in front of her and howled; ready to kick some tail, or in Lola's case; lack thereof.

"Shadow, Thunderfang!"

"Lola, Mud Sport!"

I had to admit it; Veronica had brains. I buried my fangs into the mud-covered Shellos; but it did little to no damage.

Well shit. There goes the only super-effective move I know.

"Poison Fang, then!"

I dug my fangs deeper into the squishy flesh and felt poison flow into him.

You know; if you had told me a few months ago that today I'd be biting a Shellos in the ass, I probably would have kicked you in the mouth. No matter; it still made her yowl in pain.

"Stop! Can't you see I'm embarrassed enough?" whimpered Lola.

I circled her; waiting for Kelly to stop insulting Veronica long enough to order another attack.

"Veronica named me Lola!" she sobbed.

Wtf? Am i missing something here?

"Look miss- I don't have _time_ to your personal psychiatrist, so let's just-"

"The bitch gave me a girl name. I'm a _boy_!" she, oops, I mean, _he_ cried.

I froze. "Oh dude, that is bad…"

"Shadow, finish with Tackle."

I mechanically obeyed and knocked the poor guy flat on his ass. I stood over him.

"So what's your _real_ name?"

Someone shouted a command, and I got a mouthful of Mud Slap.

"Frank," he said weakly; before my poison took effect.

Frank slumped over; totally KO'ed.

"Yeah! Go Shadow!" squealed Kelly.

Her Pokedex beeped and alerted her that I had learned a new move.

"Hey buddy, you're on level 13 now!"

I shook the sloppy goop off of me and flashed a toothy grin.

"Daisy, finish them off!" called Veronica; sending out her last Pokemon

I looked the Buneary up and down and knew she was faster than me. But was she smarter than me?

One of her ears unthreateningly unfurled- before slamming he in the jaw.

_That_ answered my question.

"Shadow! Pay attention!" snapped Kelly.

I growled. "Shadow, use Bite!"

My ears pricked up at this. I dodged the rabbit's flailing ear (never thought I'd say _that_ either) and latched onto her right ear. The Buneary yelped in pain and shook vigorously.

"Get off get off get _OFF_!" she squealed in her tantrum.

"Daisy, Quick Attack!"

"Keep a firm grip, Shadow!"

I sunk my teeth deeper and she yowled again.

"DAISY! Use _Quick Attack_! NOW!"

"I'm workin on it!" screeched the Buneary.

Kelly couldn't stand it anymore. "Shadow, release!"

I warily leaped away from the rabbit; and lowered myself to the ground.

"Sunny Day, Daisy!"

The Buneary never took her hand off her bleeding ear, but the typical Sinnoh rainclouds parted and the sun bore down on us with unbearable heat. I yawned so hard tears came to my eyes.

Shit. I was getting drowsy. Damn sunlight.

"Shadow! Wake up dammit!" barked Kelly. "Poison Fang!"

"Thunder Punch, Daisy!"

Oh… fuck.

* * *

Fun Fact: did you know Buneary punch with their _ears_?

* * *

I flew backwards and smacked into a tree.

"C'mon, Shadow! We're _so_ close!" pleaded Kelly.

I staggered to my feet and swayed back and forth.

There was no breeze.

"Shadow, use Ice Fang!"

Veronica casually flicked her wrist.

"Finish it, Dais."

I managed to bare my icy fangs, right before being engulfed in a super-charged Solarbeam.

Now, obviously, since I was knocked out, this account of what occurred next is from Shelley. If you don't consider her a reliable source… too fucking bad. No one does, but she was the only observer not KO'ed.

Once again; it was all up to Kenya. Only _this_ time; she didn't have speed on her side; the more mature Buneary was not only faster, but had a _way_ better moveset. Our old battle plan was out the window; and the only attacks she knew were Tackle, Leer, and Charge.

"Daisy, Pound!"

"Kenya, dodge!"

Daisy missed her target and punched the ground.

"Kenya, Charge!"

"Daisy, Double Team!"

Now, Kelly is technically my best human friend, but I forget she's a rookie trainer sometimes. She thought Charge was an _attacking_ move. So naturally, she got extremely frustrated when poor old Kenya just stood there; gathering energy for an electric attack she didn't know.

"Kenya! _Do _something!" pleaded Kelly; near tears.

Seeing there was no threat to Daisy, Veronica ordered a Solarbeam; and finished the poor confused Shinx off in one hit.

We had lost.

* * *

Yes, i know. Sucks they lost. But the story wouldn't be realistic if Kelly and Gang always won no matter what. I hope you enjoyed the battle, though. Please review! (:

Oh; and for those who are concerned that my story is too close to another certain story; don't worry. Mine will have plenty of twists and turns later on to make it original.

But thanks for letting me know all the same; i would NEVER want to plagerize or become unoriginal.

Until next time,

firebird


	13. Hard Headed

Chapter Thirteen

Hard Headed

It started out a completely normal Sinnoh morning. Kelly, Raina, and Greg were lounging in the hotel room. Raina was sketching, Greg was snoring, and Kelly was twiddling her thumbs; dreading the day. We had arrived in Oreburgh late the night before; tired but happy. We had won all the other battles since the defeat against Veronica. But no; today was no ordinary day. Today was the day of our first Gym battle.

"Are you almost ready, Raina? I want to be the first one there."

Raina rolled her eyes. "Chill out. The Gym is two blocks down; and it doesn't open for another… oh?"

Raina set her sketchbook down and sighed. Kelly noticed and jumped from the bed; jostling Kenya, Claire, Shelley from their slumber.

"What? What is it?"

Raina shifted her gaze to the floor. "It, well, you know… opened an hour ago."

Kelly was a whirlwind; gathering Poke Balls, Potions, and assorted papers. We were out the door in five seconds flat; headed for the Gym. Upon our entrance to the Gym, Kelly whirled and faced her three Pokemon.

"Before I return you guys to your Poke Balls, I just gotta find out what level you guys are on, okay?"

She pointed the Pokedex at Kenya; Level 13. Claire; also at Level 13. And myself; Level 15.

"That's good…" mumbled Kelly. "I'm glad we battled a lot during the trip here. Maybe we _are_ ready…"

Once we were in the door, however; her panicking began.

"M-maybe we _aren't_ ready, you guys. I just knew we should have looked around somewhere for a water or grass type!"

Raina glared at her. "Look, Kelly; get in there and win; because I'm ready to get out of this rathole town. Got it?"

Shelley looked at Greg, and then back at Kelly.

"Shadow; what if Kelly used _me_ in battle?" she asked. I breathed a sigh of relief; she was in a good mood again.

"It's against the rules to use another trainer's Pokemon, stupid!" snapped Claire.

I knew she was nervous too. She was especially weak to a lot of attacks. She was preparing for a beat-down. Of course; Kenya had to give her input as well.

"I like battling… yay! I will zap them with my favorite new attack!"

She zoomed around the lobby; electricity crackling all around her. She had learned Spark the day before.

"Trainer number 0127, Roark is ready for you. Trainer 0127? Is there a _Kelly Walsch_ in the Gym?"

"Hello… Kel! That's you! Let's _go_!" I barked.

"Oh… yeah! Wait! I'm here!" Kelly scrambled up to the counter and the receptionist sighed heavily.

"Enter through the double doors to your left. Good luck, newbie. You'll need it."

Raina and Greg remained in the lobby; seemingly uninterested in the battle that was going to commence. Shelley tried to follow us, but Greg sharply told her to stay. Kelly recalled Kenya and Claire, and tried to put _me_ in a Poke Ball!

I didn't even know I _had_ a Poke Ball. I snarled when she held it up; and threatened to bite her.

"If you suck me up into that damn Poke Ball, so help me I will personally rip your limbs to shreds."

"Fine, Shadow!" she snapped; upset I had threatened her.

"I thought Poochyena were supposed to be loyal." I rolled my eyes and followed her through the door.

"Oh cut the crap, Kel. We won't have an issue as long as you keep me out of that damn capsule."

We walked through the doors and into the battlefield. The Gym arena was… well, boring. You might expect a room full of rocks; boulders, stalagmites, the whole nine yards. No such luck. There was a dirt floor. Two boulders on the battle field. And a director's chair from which Roark arose; before walking over to shake Kelly's hand.

"Are you ready for battle?" he asked. He seemed nice enough. (Though I'm partial to anyone who rubs me behind the ears)

"You bet!" said Kelly more confidently than she felt.

Roark smiled kindly and returned to his chair.

"Challenger gets first choice," he called out.

"Would you choose first, please?" asked Kelly.

Roark nodded. "Geodude, go!"

The little boulder with arms was tossed onto the field. It used it's arms to stand up and walk around the arena.

"Shadow, you're up first, bud."

I trotted onto the field; ready to fight.

"Let's begin. Geodude, Rock Throw!"

"Shadow, Bite!"

I dodged a huge rock that was thrown into my path and latched onto the arm of Geodude. I think it hurt me more than it hurt him. I thought my fangs were going to break off as I clamped down on the rock-hard limb.

"Shadow, back off! Use Sand Attack!"

"Geodude, Defense Curl!"

The sand I flung into the Geodude's face went unheeded; his eyes tightly shut and hands/feet covering his face.

"Geodude, Magnitude!"

"Oh crud."

I was flung into the air as the floor began shaking me back and forth. The Geodude had unfurled and was once again facing me dead-on.

"Shadow! When you can, use Sand Attack!"

After being jostled around a bit, I finally got my footing long enough to sweep some sand into the boulder's eyes. Magnitude quickly ceased as the Geodude focused on his stinging eyes.

"Good, Shadow! Use Ice Fang!"

_Finally_. A move that'll do some damage.

"Geodude, focus! Use Rock Throw!"

It desperately flung a rock in the opposite direction. Kelly dove out of the way just in time to see me clamp on the boulder's head. He began thrashing violently; and I leapt off to the side; unable to hold on.

"Geodude, Rock Throw, again!"

This time; it didn't miss.

The large rock clipped my shoulder; sending a wracking pain through it; before crashing to a stop; sending me flying. I landed hard; spread out on the floor. Part of me just wanted to lay there. A quick Magnitude would finish me off…

But I didn't want Claire or Kenya to have to fight this creep. I rose to my feet and ran back to the Geodude.

"Shadow, Sand Attack again! We have to make sure he doesn't hit you again!"

"Geodude, snap out of it! You've got to use Defense Curl!"

But before the Geodude could comply, I managed to kick up more sand into it's eyes; which were now bloodshot and undoubtedly painful.

"Now, Shadow! Use Yawn!"

"...Damn it."

I felt a large and enticing Yawn escape my maw; and the Geodude noticed. It began to sway back and forth on it's arms/legs and it's eyes drooped.

"Geodude, Magnitude!"

A weak Magnitude hit me; as the Geodude thudded heavily to the ground; dead asleep. I shook off the attack and waited.

"Good, Shadow. Now; continue to use Ice Fang until it faints for good."

I walked over to the Geodude and prepared to clamp down when a pink, crooked beam of light zapped the motionless boulder and sucked him into the Poke Ball.

"I forfeit Geodude. No sense in hurting him worse; that was a lost match anyhow."

Kelly nodded, and turned to me.

"Shadow; I don't want you fainting today. I'll send out either Claire or Kenya. Hopefully; you're done in this battle. I'll send you back out as a last resort."

I guess I could have been grateful. But I actually _wanted_ to keep going. I was disheartened as I trotted over and flopped down next to Kelly. Oh well. At least I'll be conscious and able to watch the battle myself.

"Okay, go, Cranidos!"

I cringed. This was the Pokemon I had feared. Roark is known for his highly trained Cranidos. Kelly looked carefully at both of her Poke Balls, and finally decided on one.

"Kenya, you're up!"

The Shinx materialized and actually appeared serious for once as she eyed the Cranidos.

"Cranidos, Headbutt!"

"Move in front of the boulder, Kenya! Now, Dodge!"

Kenya stood with her back against the boulder while the Cranidos charged at her. When the space between them had narrowed to about a foot away, she sprung into the air. The Cranidos rammed his head into the large boulder. I was shocked as the sickening crack rang through the arena; certain the Cranidos was out for the count. Surprisingly; the little dinosaur didn't even seem dazed.

"Tough little bitch, huh?" Kelly mumbled to me.

"Cranidos, Focus Energy!"

"Well then, Kenya, use Charge!"

The two Pokemon collected their energy, and then all hell broke loose.

"Cranidos, Take Down!"

"Kenya, Spark!"

I dropped my jaw. Kelly wanted the little Shinx to simply take the attack. Not even to attempt to dodge.

Oh boy.

Cranidos charged at the little blue blur, but before it could gain much momentum, Kenya had sprinted at him and slammed him full force. His Take Down attack weakened her considerably; though he seemed unfazed by the weak electric attack.

"Don't give up, Kenya!" yelled Kelly; though she seemed discouraged about Kenya's chances.

Maybe catching a Shinx for my, ahem, I mean, _our_ team, was a bad idea.

"Kenya; run in circles around Cranidos!"

Kenya seemed joyful; this was something she could handle. The Cranidos looked around frantically as Kenya gained so much speed she was only a blur.

"Now, Kenya; when it isn't expecting it, dash in and use Spark!"

Kenya succeeded at this four times before Roark stepped in.

"Cranidos; don't let it out of your sight!"

The Cranidos twirled around hard to keep an eye on the Shinx, but it was no use. She was going so fast, he tripped over his own tail. Kenya darted in and used Spark one last time. It wasn't hardly effective, though.

"Cranidos! Use Pursuit!"

Something seemed to possess the dinosaur as his eyes glowed a dark purple. He leapt into the circle and chased the Shinx; and eventually tackled her. There was a sharp cry; and then the dust settled.

"Kenya, return," said Kelly sadly.

She kissed the Poke Ball, and then threw the other into the air.

"Claire, do your thing!" she yelled.

The poor Charmander looked up at the Cranidos and shivered. But then I realized something. The Cranidos hadn't used a single rock-type move. Maybe there was still hope…

"Cranidos, Headbutt!"

He began his charge; gaining speed. Kelly looked around desperately.

"Claire! Use, um… oh! Use Smokescreen!"

The Charmander opened her maw and a thick, black, inky smoke filled the arena. Grunts could be heard as the Cranidos blindly headbutted into the smoke.

"Claire, use Dig!"

I couldn't see for the smoke if she obeyed; but a few seconds later, a loud cry came from the smoke.

"Claire, use Flamethrower, then Dig!"

"Cranidos, Headbutt! No, the other way!"

As both Kelly and Roark frantically shouted commands, the smoke began to clear slightly. It was our last chance.

"Claire, Flamethrower!"

"Cranidos, Take Down!"

Their was the sound of impact, and then a cry of defeat. When the smoke had cleared out completely; what a sight to see. There was Claire; the little golden orange Charmander, standing on top of the KO'ed Cranidos; panting through her huge grin.

Victory is oh so sweet.

* * *

I'm not for certain when I'll be able to update again... hopefully soon; but my impending family reunion is forcing me to clean house. (Ugh. Don't you hate reunions?)

Until next time,

Shelby


	14. Ancient Matters

Chapter Fourteen

Ancient Matters

Roark had froze in utter disbelief. Kelly was squealing like a school girl and jumping up and down. I was about to pee myself. After all this time, with all these crazy people, we had gotten a Gym badge. Although the TM Stealth Rock he gave us was completely unhelpful for the time being.

"Claire! You _did_ it! I'm so proud of you!" yelled Kelly as the exhausted Charmander hugged her pant leg.

"Let's go now. Please. I want to eat." Claire's stomach growled; adding emphasis to her statement.

I laughed weakly; relief washing over me. Roark and Kelly shook hands once again, before we left the Gym; high in spirits. Raina and Greg trailed behind us. Shelley had been in another bad mood upon leaving the Gym; yet she walked by Claire and I. She was always with us; and despite cussing us out on a regular basis; she was basically family. We hurried along to a Pokemon Center and healed Kenya. She came back out good as new, and we were about to leave Oreburgh, when it happened.

Kenya was trotting circles around us when we passed a boy playing with his baby Happiny. Suddenly; the ball they were playing with rolled out into the street. The Happiny began crying. Kenya froze for a split second.

"Ball!"

Before we could stop her, she darted at the ball and snatched it up.

"Hey! Get back here with my ball!" yelled the boy.

"Don't yell at my Shinx!" yelled Kelly in return.

Kenya wagged her little tail and crouched low; ready to play.

"Nido, Pucca, after it!"

A male Nidoran and a Snubbull appeared and chased Kenya; who turned and ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. They hadn't got the slightest chance of catching her.

"C'mon. We gotta go find her," mumbled Kelly.

Greg grumbled and Raina sighed.

"Look, Kelly. I'm getting sick of these crazy Pokemon! The Turtwig is hateful, the Charmander is happy one moment, sad the next, the Poochyena is constantly yapping and barking about _something_, and the Shinx seems to have her own caffeine supply! Why can't they be _normal_? You know, like Charlie!"

(So I take it she wanted us to be large hunks of blubber with zip for personality?)

Kelly stood back; in shock Raina of all people had blown up at her.

"Hey! I do not constantly yap!" I barked.

"See what I mean!?" yelled Raina exasperatedly; pointing her finger at me angrily.

Kelly looked genuinely hurt. I wasn't concerned though.

"Um, hello? The Shinx? Has everyone forgotten our hyper little friend who's namesake is an African country?"

When no one decided to answer me, I decided to sulk. This accursed language will be the death of me.

Raina sighed; looking terribly worn out.

"Kelly. Greg and I are going back to the hotel, okay? Get Kenya, and get back. We're ready to leave this stupid town."

She patted Kelly's shoulder, and then turned and walked back to our room. Greg followed; but stopped when he noticed there wasn't the pitter patter of Turtwig feet behind him. "Shelley, c'mon!" he said.

Her response?

"Go to hell you obnoxious, greasy little human."

"Someone's pleasant today," Claire said; suppressing laughter.

"Fine, stay with them. See if I care," he mumbled.

Kelly didn't wait to watch them leave.

"C'mon, you guys. They ran over that way."

That way; ending up leading us to the Oreburgh Mine.

"Are you sure they went this way?" I asked no one in particular.

Suddenly; a loud yell echoed through the tunnels.

"Gah! What is _wrong_ with you! How are you going so fast!?"

Claire glanced at me. "That answer your question?"

We ran down the dimly lighted tunnel to our left and followed it a while until we rounded a bend; and the scene unrolled before us. The Nidoran and the Snubbull were lying unconscious up against the wall. The boy and his Happiny had they're jaw dropped. Kenya was giggling, and electricity crackled around her.

"You- she, b-but!" the boy stuttered.

Poor kid. After dealing with us; he will probably be scarred for life.

"Erm… sorry about that," muttered Kelly. "Kenya! Bring it here, sweetie."

The Shinx walked over to Kelly and reluctantly dropped the slobbery ball into her hand. Kelly grimaced before handing it over to the steaming boy.

"Um… it's all yours," chirped Kelly encouragingly.

The boy recalled his Pokemon, snatched the ball out of her hands, and promptly left; incredibly peeved off.

"Kenya, you can't just go running off like that!"

Kenya ducked her head; disheartened she had been reprimanded. "But good job for KO'ing those two Pokemon." Kenya instantly perked up.

_Shi, Shinx!_

Kelly picked her up and we were about to leave when something caught my eye. There was a rock; a different color than the tunnel walls, protruding about four inches. I ran over to it and stood up against the wall; forepaws on either side of the rock.

"What is it, Shadow?"

I barked once and she came over and examined the odd rock.

"Hey, it's loose!" she exclaimed; wiggling the rock back and forth. She turned to us.

"Shelley, do you think you could use Vine Whip to yank it out?"

"Sure; no problem Kelly," she replied; wrapping her vines around the rock.

She gave one hard yank, then another, then another, until finally it dislodged itself and clattered to the rocky floor.

"It's… a fossil?" said Kelly; obviously surprised.

"That would be correct; O one of great wisdom," I sneered.

"Erm, okay. Cool, huh?" Kelly showed us the fossil.

It was basically a flat piece of rock with a oval shaped dent in it. The oblong oval had a single line running horizontally through it. And… that was it.

I yawned.

"Remember how I asked for that food at the Gym? Well, that was a _really_ long time ago. Let's leave this death-trap!" yelled Claire.

I think I heard her stomach growl from across the room. Once outside of the mine; we leisurely walked into the little restaurant located beside the mine. Kelly ordered a cheeseburger and had them warm up a bottle for me. Claire, Shelley, and Kenya all contentedly munched on the Pokemon food served at the restaurant. After my bottle, I entertained myself by watching the other customers in the diner. One young man caught my eye.

He couldn't be a day over twenty; but his eyes were darting back and forth; but always seemed to end up resting on Kelly. My fur bristled as he rose and scrambled over to our table.

"Um, excuse me, little girl? Are you… uh, aware of what you have there?"

Kelly furrowed her brow and stared at the dweeb who stood over her; eyes glued to her bag. I swear he was foaming at the mouth slightly.

"Uh… a trainer's bag?"

He showed intense irritation at her sarcasm. "No, you stupid kid!"

I toyed with the idea of neutering him. But; I guess not liking a guy isn't technically a good enough reason to amputate that guy's favorite appendage.

"… It's a fossil. Why?" she asked; understandably suspicious.

He sighed dramatically. "Not just _any_ fossil! That's an _Armor_ fossil. I've been looking for one for three months! Did you just find it?" he asked; trembling with excitement.

"Man… what a nerd," snorted Claire.

Kelly stifled a snicker. "And what's so special about an Armor Fossil?" she asked; humoring the poor guy.

"I have a fossil collection! I have four Skull Fossils; but not a single Armor Fossil. I _need_ that Shieldon!"

(So _that's_ what the fossil contained)

He pulled a fossil from his knapsack; revealing one with a circular indention with spike-shaped dents pointing towards the outer edges.

"See? It's so dull; I just _have_ to have that Armor Fossil! Oh please, miss; have pity on me," he whined.

Kelly took advantage of his supreme idiocy. "What's in it for me?"

He handed her the Skull Fossil from before to her, and then grabbed at the Shieldon fossil. He pulled on it; but she didn't let go.

"And, what else?"

He frowned at her.

Kelly simply said, "Look; it sounds like these Armor Fossils are pretty rare. I just want to get my money's worth. I was going to sell it for a little cash, after all."

He frantically searched through his belongings and rummaged up a few things.

"Um, I have this TM, three berries, and this… well, this weird looking stone."

He handed them over to Kelly, and she handed over his precious fossil.

"If you change your mind and want to revive that fossil; go the museum a few blocks down. There's a wacko scientist there. He'll be really excited to help you."

Our odd little guest then grabbed his bag and left the restaurant; Armor Fossil clutched to his chest.

"Well that was certainly interesting," mumbled Kelly.

"Cool, cool! A fossil! Can I touch it, Kelly! Please?" Kenya leaped up into Kelly's lap and happily poked the fossil with her snout.

"Well guys; I have a decision to make. Sell it for a little cash; or get whatever Pokemon it contains."

She looked at it, then her depleted cash supply, and then back at it once more.

"Let's go revive an ancient Pokemon."

Once Claire; the slowest at nearly _everything_, had finished her meal, we were once again out on the street and on our way to the Oreburgh Miner's Museum. Kelly showed the receptionist her fossil.

"Right this way." We walked through a series of halls; lined with rare fossils and other underground stuff.

"Here is Dr. Wesson's lab. He will have that fossil back to life in approximately fifteen minutes."

"You guys stay in the hall," whispered Kelly.

"Why would we do that?" I barked.

"Shh! _Quiet_, Shadow! This is a civilized, public place."

I shot her a look.

"Please. Just _stay here_."

She entered the door; fossil in hand. Not five seconds later; she was shoved back out.

"Now don't you worry; I'll have that Cranidos ready in a jiffy! Just look around for, oh, I don't know, about fifteen minutes? Thanks."

The exuberant older man shook her hand and disappeared. We strolled up and down the halls; not because we were looking; we were only walking so we wouldn't fall asleep. Finally; we heard a door burst open.

"Ms. Walsch; your Cranidos is very much alive, now."

She bolted to the door. I sidled up next to her and stared at our new teammate.

"Where am I? What type of two-legged Pokemon are you?" demanded the dino. I was the first to speak to him.

"Welcome to the traveling insane asylum!"


	15. You've Got Mail

Sorry it took so long to get this posted. But family reunion is FINALLY over. Yay me; i didn't murder anyone.

Anyways; on to the long-awaited Chapter 15!

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

You've Got Mail

Our Cranidos looked around frantically.

"What is all this stuff?"

He knocked some machine off the chrome table he sat upon. The scientist gently picked him up and set him down.

"This Cranidos died approximately 2,000 years ago. He was about a year old at the time; according to my machine, that is."

The Cranidos looked at Kelly.

"What is that red-and-white rock in your hand? Why-"

The Cranidos was stopped short as Kelly tossed the Poke Ball at him. It wiggled once, twice, three times; and then lay still.

"I think I'll name you Tyson. Since your such a tough little guy."

She thanked Dr. Wesson, and waited until we were outside to let Tyson out of his ball. He whirled around side to side, and then whimpered.

"Wha- I don't understand! When did all these shiny things get here?" He sniffed something silver.

"That's a doorknob, you prehistoric idiot," grumbled Claire.

Tyson glared at her, before turning his attention to Kelly.

"I still don't know what type of Pokemon you are, two-leg."

Claire rolled her eyes and decided to be the one to explain modern life.

"She's a human. Her name is Kelly. She is our trainer; she trains us to battle so she wins money. In return; she protects us, loves us, and we go on an adventure!" Claire sighed contentedly.

Tyson looked totally confused; still trying to comprehend his new surroundings. Claire gave him a funny look, and then turned away; muttering something about her happy place.

"Well, I guess we'd better head back to hotel now," mumbled Kelly.

I could tell she was still a little bugged by Raina's reaction to us.

"Tyson; you better not do anything that ticks Raina off; we're on thin ice with her."

"You are not my master, human! I don't know what has happened here; and I'm really confused; but I _do _know that I'm _not_ going to follow you around to win you this… _money_ you speak of."

He charged off towards the mine; full speed. Perhaps his exit wouldn't have been so hilarious… if he hadn't been immediately hit head-on by a fire truck.

"Oh my God. Tyson!" screeched Kelly; covering her ears and cringing.

"Tyson is okay!" he screeched; stumbling away from the battered truck.

Shelley and I exchanged glances. Wasn't he speaking normally a few seconds ago? Why was he talking in third-person now? But; other than that odd twist; Tyson was virtually fine. The fire truck… not so much.

"What the _heck_!?" screamed the fireman from the window. There was a huge Cranidos-skull shaped dent in the front of the bright red fire engine. The man stiffly gave us the finger, before flying past us and turning onto another street before the sirens began wailing.

"Well then… Claire; you better stay away from the hotel drapes. I don't think we'll be getting any assistance from that guy!"

Tyson seemed to have learned his lesson; maybe he wasn't as street savvy as he thought he was. So he reluctantly followed; though he lagged behind considerably. We all headed back to our hotel room; a little worn out after the chase with Kenya; and then watching a Cranidos kill a fire truck. Kelly triumphantly marched on ahead of us; confident and happy she had not only won the Gym battle; but had also caught her fourth Pokemon, in a single day.

I plodded along compliantly at her heels; ready to chill in the hotel room and watch TV. Claire walked to my left; Shelley on my right. Neither one seemed to care what was going on. Kenya was trotting circles around Tyson; who was nervously trying to break free of the little furball.

"What's your favorite color? Name? Type of berry? Thing to do in your pastime?" she prodded as she made laps around him.

"Tyson don't want to be circled by tiny blue ball of fuzz! Gah! Tyson says get away!"

He angrily growled at her, and therefore shook her off onto me.

"Shadow, why doesn't the funny talking dinosaur want to be my friend?" she asked; eyes pleading for a kind answer.

I sighed and looked up at her. (She was riding on my back after all)

"He's just a cranky old pile of bones. Ignore him."

Satisfied; she began asking me questions about everything. She didn't stop until Kelly's voice interrupted her.

"Oh my God, Shadow. You're bleeding!"

She bent down and rubbed her hand against my side. Dried, dark red blood clung to my fur; sticky and downright gross.

"But I didn't even battle! How did I manage to get hurt?" I asked.

"Kenya; get off him for a second, okay?"

Kelly picked up the Shinx to set her down. When she drew her hands back, however; we all gasped at the amount of blood covering her hands. Kenya smiled weakly.

"I didn't want to whine and complain," she explained.

Although we had been a block away from the hotel room; we ended up trudging back down the street to the Pokemon Center next to the Gym. While Kenya was getting fixed up; we listened to Kelly mull over how she was a terrible trainer.

"I picked her up in the tunnel! How could I have not noticed she had gotten her belly cut? The poor little girl. I hope she'll be okay. I just love that little Shinx."

None of us really listened to her rant, I don't believe.

"Tyson wants to know why we in this shiny cave! Two-legs have taken over!"

Claire walked over and punched him in the side of his face.

"Stop speaking like that!" she snarled, "It's freakin irritating!"

He glared at her, and then went on mumbling something about stupid lizards. Shelley and I were busy discussing the attractive possibility of murdering everyone when we were interrupted by a orderly.

"Excuse me; are you Kelly Walsch?" he asked in a fairly bored voice.

"Uh, yeah. I am. Wait- is Kenya okay!?" she asked; suddenly concerned.

"Who?" he asked blankly.

Kelly just stared at him; so he delivered his news.

"Well I was sent to tell you that you've received two articles in the mail. They were automatically sent to your PC box, so if you want..."

"Thanks!" she said; pushing him over backwards to get to the PC.

Kenya and I tagged along; interested in what she got.

"Oh my gosh! Hey Shadow; I got a letter from Leah!"

I yawned.

Before I let you read the letter, allow me to explain. Leah is Kelly's younger sister. She's ten. Leah looks like a miniature Kelly; only she has dark brown coffee-colored locks. As Daniel; I had only seen her a few times. Their parents were concerned for Leah's health; so they sent her to some boarding school in Azalea Town in Johto. Leah was small and frail the last time I saw her. Timid, shy, quiet, and frighteningly intelligent; she was the opposite of Kelly in personality. But there was one thing I knew they had in common.

They both shared a passion for Pokemon training.

_

* * *

_

_Dear Kelly,_

_As you've probably heard; I have graduated from my class with honors. Mom and Dad called and told me I can go on a Pokemon Journey! Isn't that marvelous? But they also told me you started your journey about a month ago. So; I decided I'm going to have my journey in Kanto. That way we won't battle until we're both really strong. What type of Pokemon do you have? I don't get to start for a few weeks; so I don't have any yet… Well, here I am rambling on and on again. Please come see me some time, sis. It would mean a lot to me._

_Love,_

_Leah _

* * *

Kelly knew she wouldn't be able to visit Leah. So; she wrote back, and then dug through her bag; retrieving some of her money. She sent it along with her note, and then opened the package that had been sent anonymously to her. She read aloud to us once more.

* * *

_Kelly,_

_I'm sorry about the fight in the hospital room. I guess I can be a jerk sometimes. But hey; you did save my life. So- since I'm just now back on the road again; here's my apology letter, and here's something I want you to have. As a thank you; and as a peace offering. Good luck. I look forward to seeing you again. (As long as that time doesn't involve almost dying)_

* * *

Kelly looked at it funny. Then; she opened the package. She slowly and carefully tore at the brown paper; no doubt pondering things as she unwrapped. When the item he had sent broke free; it fell to the floor with a clatter. Kelly and I gasped in unison.

Wes; the kid I had once thought a total and complete douche bag, had sent us the one thing Kelly and I had wanted most.

Kelly picked up the Poketch and looked it over; eyes sparkling. We had finally gotten one. And a fully-loaded one at that. As Kelly browsed through the Apps, I sent him the biggest mental thank you I could muster up. Because not only did Wes send Kelly her long awaited Poketch.

It was blue.

* * *

I feel bad. This chapter was short and boring. But it had to be written. I had a hard time sticking with the story this chapter. I know _where_ i want to go with this story; but i'm still figuring out _how_ to get there. Please review; they keep me motivated. Thanks for reading!

(PS- did you notice somthing different about this chapter??? If you think you noticed something; post it in a review. Let's see who guesses first) Answer will be at the end of the next chapter. (=


	16. So Long For Now

**A/N: By PM request; i will be leaving my author's notes in all bold for clarity**

**And... oh, well; i suppose I'll just allow you to read the chapter first **

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

Things Fall Apart

"I can't believe you, Raina! I saw an opportunity, and I took it. I'm a Pokemon Trainer, for Mew's sake! And what do you care if I got another Pokemon anyway?"

"We told you to get Kenya and come straight back! Now there's not enough daylight to travel tonight!"

I buried my head beneath my paws; groaning. They had been at it for hours. All of the Pokemon, including myself, were huddled in the corner; trying desperately to sleep. But to no avail. Tyson seemed the most disturbed by all of it.

"Stupid two-legs! Quiet! TYSON SAYS BE QUIET!" he screeched; tail thumping angrily on the ground.

Claire quickly whipped him into shape.

"Just fucking shut up, Tyson! You aren't helping, okay?" she said; a pleading sound in her voice begging him to stop.

Kenya was flat scared. So; after dubbing me Uncle Shadow when I let her get a piggyback ride to the hotel; naturally she was curled up tight next to me.

"Why do they fight like that?" she whimpered.

Poochyena instinct took over and I gently licked the top of her head.

"I don't know, Kenya. Just go to sleep, okay?"

She sighed and curled up tighter.

Shelley was in a fairly good mood. And yet… she _still_ hated Greg. "I really hope he gets a foot in the mouth," she sighed.

That got a laugh out of everyone; even Tyson.

"Damn it, Kelly, forget it. Just freakin forget it. We don't need to travel with you. Not at all. So we're gone."

Raina picked up her bag and stormed out.

"Shelley; let's go," growled Greg.

"_No_ way, perv!" she said more confidently than she felt.

He pulled out her Poke Ball. She stepped back; looking petrified.

"Please, let's just stay! I don't want to leave; please-"

Shelley was stopped short as the beam of light sucked her up into her ball.

"Shadow! That's something we've never thought of! If Raina and Greg leave; Shelley is gone too!" cried Claire.

I jumped up. Shelley may be schizophrenic/psychotic; but we had all really come to love her. Apparently Kelly had the same thought.

"Wait! You guys can't just _leave_. Shelley is really close to my Pokemon. It'll break all of their hearts!"

Greg sneered. "Yeah right, whore. You just want the Turtwig for yourself. Well, fuck off!"

He grabbed his stuff and left; never looking back to see the crestfallen faces of Kelly, myself, Claire, Kenya, and even Tyson.

* * *

"Greg; get your scrawny ass over here," growled Raina.

Greg dramatically slammed the door shut, and then followed Raina into the room across the hall. He waited patiently until the door was shut before blowing up at his older sister.

"Damn it, Raina! I thought we were going to-"

He was cut off short as Raina nailed him across the face.

"Shut up! This cheap hotel isn't soundproof, okay?"

Her face softened slightly when he stared back at her; terrified.

"Look; we'll still go with the plan. We'll just… observe from afar; that's all. Until the time is right. You don't want to rush things, do you?"

Rubbing his bruised cheek; he nodded vigorously to avoid further injury.

"Now," began Raina, "it's time for us to teach that Turtwig some manners."

* * *

The rest of the day was terrible. We moved our things to the Pokemon Center to stay; seeing as we had no money to really spare. And it wasn't the trainer's suite, either. Nope; this time, there was no TV to watch angry Mexicans on mute. No ugly floral armchair for Claire and I to curl up in. And no toilet paper. Just a single bed, a toilet, and a grungy bathtub; all in the same room.

"Uncle Shadow? Why was Greg so mean to take Shelley away?" asked Kenya; sincerely and sweetly.

Damn. She knows how to get answers out of me.

"Because Greg's a little bastard and Shelley is pretty strong. You know; as far as Turtwig go."

Satisfied; she jumped into Kelly's arms. I sighed and laid down on the floor in front of the window next to Claire. She and Shelley had been my best Pokemon friends. Without Shelley, how would I cope? Claire had been sulking all day long. When I plopped down next to her; I could hear quiet sobs.

"Claire?" I asked quietly; tentatively prodding her with a paw.

"Get away Shadow," she warned in a muffled voice. "I'm not in a good mood right now."

Tyson walked over and sat down next to Claire.

"It's okay, little lizard girl. Do not cry; Tyson is here; he make you feel all better now."

He nuzzled her, and she looked up at him; a puzzled expression on her face. She did sit up, however. That was an improvement.

I left the Cranidos to 'work his magic' and jumped onto the single bed with Kelly and Kenya. Kenya was napping; and Kelly was sighing over and over again; staring blankly at the wall. I curled up next to her as well, and soon the world faded to black.

* * *

I awoke with a start a few hours later to a loud rapping sound on the door.

"Open up!" the voice from beyond the door called.

"Shut up puny two-leg! Leave this cave now or Tyson will kill you!"

To further prove his point; Tyson began banging his head on the door. Kelly woke with a start and pulled the covers up to her chest.

"Wha- who… is it?" she said mid-yawn.

"We have something that belongs to you," the husky voice explained.

"Get off… me," a low voice growled from outside the door.

A little frightened; Kelly pulled the covers up higher and just sat there. I was on my feet snarling; yellow and red eyes gleaming. Trying absolutely as hard as I could to be a frightening Poochyena.

Kenya stood next to me; mustering up a small growl that actually sounded more like a cat's purr.

Oh well. Good intentions; that's what counts.

Claire sleepily wobbled over to as and yawned.

"What's- yawn- going on?" she said drowsily; rubbing her eye with her tiny fist.

"Someone's breaking in, Claire. At least _pretend_ to be a flesh eating Charmander, okay?" I said rather snottily.

She shot back more of that good ol' sarcasm.

"Oh, right; how silly of me. Guess I missed the newsflash that at 2:00 AM we were supposed to jump awake and pretend to dine on human flesh. _My bad_."

She stood next to me. We watched in awe as the mystery people outside busted the door down; sending Tyson flying in another harsh impact.

He soared in a rather majestic arc over us; and landed with equal grace.

Ha; you thought I was serious?

No; he actually crashed into the wall and fell into the bathtub. Better than the toilet, I suppose.

"Ouch! Guess I'll be sore tomorrow," he grumbled.

"Don't you mean 'Tyson' will be sore tomorrow?" snorted Claire.

He cocked his head to the side. "Uh… no; I think I said what I meant. Have your tail fumes been getting to you or something?"

She whapped him with her tail.

"You know; I think I liked you better when you were a prehistoric, third-person speaking idiot."

While they had their little spat; Kenya, Kelly and I dealt with our guests. A familiar boy was shoved in.

"We found this joker trying to break into the Center. Said he was looking for a Kelly Walsch," explained the short, bald security officer with the gruff voice.

"Wes?" asked Kelly in disbelief.

Then; she looked down and realized she was wearing only a nightgown. Blushing profusely; she remained silent. He awkwardly smiled.

"I, uh… kinda saw you yesterday. At the museum. I just didn't get a chance to say hi…"

He looked over at the guard who was staring rather amusedly at the awkward 'couple'. (Ick)

"Would you mind…" started Wes. The Security Guard sighed heavily and left the hallway; returning to the lobby. Kelly stared at him harshly.

"Wes; _what_ are you doing here?"

He blushed. "Well… after you left the hospital, I got to thinking…" He stopped and looked around. "Wait; where's Raina and that weird little kid that was always staring at your boobs?"

Kelly's eyes bulged at the blunt mention of her favorite appendage's; but she recovered when she saw the sly grin spreading across his face. She scooted over and patted the bed next to her.

"Sit down. I guess I have some explaining to do."

* * *

**A/N: Please don't kill me; i know that was a short chapter. I lost all inspiration once Shelley was out of the picture. :'( We haven't heard the last of her; i don't believe. Hopefully the next chapter will be lighter; and possibly longer? (:**

**I am considering making a series of oneshots about each of my character's pasts. To help everyone get to know more about them. This is a poll that is posted on my profile; so vote as to whether or not you would like that or not. Uh.. I think I'll be unoriginal and just call it the LITM Chronicles.**

**Oh; and one other thing; the turning point is coming sooner. Like; as in the next few chapters sooner. And it's big.**

**And some of you will hate me for it. It throws a BIG wrench in the whole story (:**

**Until next time, -Shelby**

**(PS- from last chapter; what was different??? WELL- there wasn't a single cuss-word in it (: Suprising, huh?)**


	17. Understanding

**A/N: Hello everyone! So... remember how Last time I told you guys i would make this chapter lighter?? Well... it started that way; but I thought- well, just read for yourself.**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen

Understanding

An hour later; Wes had all his questions answered. Kelly was sitting cross-legged on her bed; Claire and I in her lap. Claire was still in a depressed mood; but had managed to cheer me up by helping me mock our idiot humans. (Whom we love Oh-so-much)

So; after every statement; we added our new favorite statement.

"I'm so embarrassed you barged in!" Kelly exclaimed.

"That's what she said," said Claire flatly; resulting in me bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Don't blame me! The security guard forced me in!" said Wes warmly; nudging her shoulder.

I gave Claire a sideways glance.

"That's what _he_ said."

I sniggered uncontrollably.

Juvenile? Perhaps. Hilarious?

You bet.

Besides- anything to get our minds off of Shelley would do. This went on for a while; but eventually they got boring. Claire was soon fast asleep beside me. Although her flame brushed against me; all I felt was it's soothing warmth.

_Fire-types don't burn those they trust._

With that thought on my mind, I fell into a deep sleep; lulled into my slumber by the warm, comforting flame.

* * *

"Now. When I say come here, what do you do?"

The inky black night sky loomed in the open window. She cowered in fear, taking a step back.

"Wrong answer."

She yelped as a foot came down hard on her; and a crack appeared on her hardened shell.

"Let's try this again," the voice said coolly, "come here."

Leaves trembling, the Turtwig took a tentative step forward.

"You stupid little bitch. I said come here. That doesn't mean one step. That means HERE."

The owner of the voice picked her up and slammed her into the floor directly in front of his feet. She cried out pitifully as the crack spread; growing larger. When the warm, sticky fluid oozed from her shell; white teeth flashed in the dark. He stroked her gently with a single finger; mockingly. He enjoyed the warm blood that covered his hands. The feeling of her surrendering beneath his weight. Her body trembling in submission. He flipped her over onto her back; continuing to tease her with his finger, as he satisfied himself.

"Good girl."

* * *

Kelly gently stroked her sleeping Poochyena. His breathing was labored in his sleep; it always had been that way. She suspected nightmares haunted him; but of _what_? She sighed as she stared up a the ceiling.

So, so many unanswered questions. As she listened to Wes attempt to explain his reason for coming; she absentmindedly twirled her Poketch round and round her wrist. Why had he given it to her? She had done nothing of _great_ importance; after all.

She listened as he explained he couldn't get her off his mind the entire time; so he had decided to find her. He wanted to travel with her. Kelly nodded eagerly; though her heart was wrenched in a battle between past and future.

* * *

The door clicked shut behind him as he left to follow the other human. The only sound that filled the room was the faint sound of shallow breathing.

The Turtwig had no will to get up. None whatsoever.

She could feel her faint heartbeat in her shell; her throbbing, shattered, bleeding shell. Death would be welcome, she decided.

She waited patiently, hopefully; breathing becoming more and more labored. But it never came.

Slowly; she came to the realization she was going to live. She broke out into wracking sobs. The abuse had ended when they were with the group. Now; it had started again. If you had looked into her eyes; you would see dark, liquid brown pools that reflected hurt, anguish, hollowness... and so many other dark things.

Some called her insane. Some called her malicious. Others called her stupid.

But the one she wanted approval from the most… called her worthless. The Turtwig slowly rolled over; pain riveting through her every fiber. She would survive. She could make it until morning; when she could use Synthesis to tediously heal herself.

As she weakly lay on her side; she pondered how _she_ would sum herself up. Only one word came to mind.

Misunderstood.

* * *

"Shadow? _Shadow_?"

I gradually awoke from my deep slumber to see Kelly watching me nervously. I yawned. "Yes? You woke me?"

Kelly carefully moved Claire from her lap to the bed next to Kenya, before continuing with me.

"Shadow; you were having a nightmare."

I simply licked her cheek in reassurance. "I'm fine, Kel. Really."

She kissed my nose and let me be. I couldn't sleep though; so I turned my attention to Wes. Rather, to who was perched on his lap; eyeing me with slight interest.

"…Grace?"

She locked eyes with me, and then hopped off her master's lap and onto the floor.

Stupid aloof Vulpix.

I sighed and carefully crawled out of Kelly's lap. I stretched long and hard for the first two steps, and then walked slowly over to the corner Grace was sitting in. I approached her cautiously; not sure if her gaze had meant for me to follow.

I opened my mouth to start conversation, but none came. Let's face it; it's awkward to start casual conversation with someone you watched be mercilessly raped.

She flicked her tails in irritation at my silence, then sighed. "Look, Poochyena. Our trainer's are going to travel together, now. Forget what you saw; and I won't blab to your other little buddies. Got it?"

I nodded. She was genuinely afraid others would know. When I nodded; she released her tension a bit.

"Thank you."

"Sure. I can relate," I said flatly; shrugging it off.

"So… Shadow, was it?"

I nodded in confirmation.

"Tell me something. When you were reborn; were you randomly paired with Kelly? Or… was there more meaning behind your rebirth than that? You said you had a better reason for being over-protective than I?"

I sighed and explained my predicament with Kelly. She nodded politely and waited until I had finished; and then sighed.

"Thank you. That's all I wanted to know."

She rose to her feet to leave, but I cleared my throat. "And where do you think _you're _going?"

She licked her shoulder off twice; and dismissed the question.

"I never agreed to tell of my past. I simply asked of yours."

I let out a playful growl; but it wasn't received, as she strolled over to the bed and leapt back into her respective lap.

Confused, I lay down and pondered over her. Over what she had wanted from me.

Obviously not one to confide in.

But _why, _then_,_ had she approached me; demanding answers about my past; and then walked off without an explanation on her behalf?

As I watched her pretend to sleep; I decided to shrug it off and follow her lead. So I snuggled down deep in Kelly's lap.

Surprisingly; even with all this fur; I still manage to get chilled by Sinnoh's night air that streams through the window. Some things I guess aren't meant to be understood.

* * *

"Again," the voice called out.

Huffing and puffing, she again fired a Razor Leaf at the thick bark of the ancient old oak tree. Through pure exhaustion; the leaves lost their cutting edge; and only left shallow marks on the trunk.

"That was lame. Give me a good one; and we'll call it a night."

Her head throbbed ruthlessly; pounding against her skull. She mustered up what strength she had left and fired a few more leaves at the tree. These did not even hit the tree before they just became normal leaves and began their descent to earth. She watched them lazily drift down; knowing what came when they lightly touched the grass below. When they landed; she flinched, sending a shot of pain down along the fissure on her shell.

She cringed as she heard the striking of the match; trembling as the tiny flame was dangled in front of her face. How the heat burned; although it was not touching her. Blisters began to break out on her face.

How she wished she were a fire-type now. The heat would give her strength then; instead of torturing her.

When the pain became unbearable; she escaped to her thoughts.

_She was a bird Pokemon; flitting gaily through the clouds; carefree and docile. A trainer below tried to catch her. She fired a powerful gust of wind; sending him spread-eagled into a nearby pond. She soared above and beyond the treetops; and glided swiftly on the light wind…_

Cruel eyes bore down on her. They needed a reaction out of her. They _craved_ that reaction. Obedience being the top desire.

She let out a silent scream as the match was drug across her snout; leaving a burn mark. It sizzled; and her master grinned sadistically.

She recoiled and a hiss slipped out. Realizing her mistake; she cowered. He surprisingly blew out the match and set her in front of the tree again.

"Now. Do it right this time."

Confused; she went back to her vision. As she dreamed of firing a vicious gust of wind at the ignorant trainer that tried to catch her, she fired Razor Leaves with renewed power at the tree; slicing deep gashes in the tree. The gashes saddened her. With those deep cuts into the heart of the tree; it would slowly wilt and die.

"Now we're getting somewhere," he whispered.

She felt herself being sucked into the confines of her Poke Ball. She had a love/hate relationship with that red-and-white sphere.

* * *

**A/N: Yes I _know_ it was really dark. Sorry. But I wanted my readers to get a deeper look into Shelley. Mind you; this did not cause her schizophrenia. (Oh... whoops. Perhaps I've said too much) **

**Oh; and I have a bone to pick with you; dear reader- This story is my baby. Athough I'm certainly not in it for the reviews; they do make me really happy. (:**

**LITM have been read by people in 18 different countries, and currently has 977 hits and 299 visitors. Just a few less reviews. (: **

**In other words... my guess is that one or two of you aren't reviewing (: And we will find you...**

**Oh I'm just kidding. But seriously; if you like the story, or if you don't like the story; please review and let me know what you do or don't like about it. PLEASE!**

**That is all.**

**Until next time,**

**Shelby (aka XoXfirebirdXoX) **

* * *


	18. Revelation

**A/N: Well i guess all I had to do was ask. Thank you so much to all those who reviewed. You know who you are (: You don't, however, know how much it means to me. This extra-long, semi-dark chapter is dedicated to you guys. So, without further ado, please enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

Revelation

It's amazing how fast time can pass. Weeks have passed. And guess where we are? Oh yes; we're still in fucking Oreburgh. But for an okay reason, I suppose.

No; not for training. (Which would be an even _better_ reason)

You see; our next Gym badge is located in Eterna City; north of Oreburgh. To travel directly north, however, you need a bike. Luckily, Kelly has a bike.

Unluckily; Weston does _not_.

Tell me, dear reader, where is the only bike shop in all of friggin Sinnoh located?

Eterna City.

So, what do you think we should do? Claire and I agree to dump the dude and head north. Kelly and Wes want to wait until the flooding beneath the biking path clears. Tyson couldn't care less _what_ we do.

Kenya wants to travel west, back the way we came, then backtrack to Jubilife, then head north. We'd stop in Floaroma Town, and then get to Eterna.

All in a matter of a few weeks.

All because there were 'preeeeety flowers' there.

"Wes; I went and talked to Nurse Joy," said Kelly; throwing a bunch of items onto the bed. He stopped tickling Kenya and looked up. "Yeah?"

Kelly sighed heavily. "Eterna's Gym is only going to be open for a few more weeks. Then it's closing for a month after then; the Gym Leader is going to visit family in Hoenn."

She sighed sadly and flopped down on the bed. He hugged her tight. Me and Claire gagged and pretended to vomit; teasing her.

"So… lemme guess. You want to head over the biking trail?"

Before she could get out an answer, he continued; stroking her hair softly.

"That's okay. Maybe I'll see you again?" he asked hopefully.

"Wes; I meant that we're going to head up through Floaroma. I'm not leaving you."

He grinned and seemed terribly relieved. "Oh. Well… that's good news to hear," he chuckled.

They spent the day packing and preparing; making plans and such. We would travel at night; so as to avoid all battles to speed up the traveling process. We had the Grass-type Gym in the bag; with Claire, and my two super-effective moves. Only Tyson was effected harshly by their moves. We had time to have battles and train _after_ the Gym that was soon to be closed.

Later that evening; Kelly had fallen asleep halfway on, halfway off the bed. Wes walked in with the final bag of supplies and stopped short; seeing her asleep on the bed. They had been taking turns; alternating the bed, and the floor. I observed silently; seeing how he would react. He smiled wistfully, and then gently and swiftly swung her legs onto the bed. She never stirred. He moved the pillow under her head, and pulled the covers up around her. He leaned in, hesitated, and then returned to his spot on the floor.

Astonished; I stared at him a while.

I wanted to like him, I suppose.

But the selfish part of me clung to the dying hope that, someday, I would be able to tell Kelly who I am. That… by some miracle, I would become human again; and I would be able to sweep her off her feet and love her undyingly.

As I felt myself drift off; the words 'if only' clung to my thoughts.

* * *

Another week passed. To be honest; I didn't do any socializing. In fact; I'm surprised Claire hadn't killed me yet; I'd been such an ass. After the bed-scene with Kelly and Wes; the following morning, in fact, Kelly had informed me that I was being weaned off my bottle.

Not gradually.

She made me quit cold-turkey.

Poke Food sucks. Terribly.

And; not only that; every day Wes and Kelly grow closer together. It sickens me.

"Uncle Shadow, look! It's getting ready to rain!" chirped Kenya gleefully.

"Whoop-dee-frickin-doo," I snarled.

She gave me the puppy-dog eyes, and then went over to torment Tyson.

It was about that time that a droplet of water graced my snout.

As if my day could get any worse.

"Should we head back to Jubilife?" asked Wes; staring at the impending thunderclouds.

Kelly broke into a run. "No way! Don't you remember what happened _last_ time we spent the night there?"

He was thoughtful; and then noticed she was sprinting away.

"Hey; what's with the rush?" he called out; running to keep up.

"Let's at _least _get as far as we can up the road!"

When a loud clap of thunder sounded overhead; we all came to a halt. Claire, Tyson, and Grace were recalled; leaving Kenya and I out alone.

Camp consisted of… you guessed it. A tree.

Two thumbs way, way up for creativity, Kel.

As the rain poured down; we all sat under the tree. It was near dawn.

Time for sleep.

As my eyelids finally began to grow heavy; they snapped open in an instant as something caught my eye.

Kelly had swiftly leaned over, and kissed the little bastard goodnight.

Kelly; the one I had loved for a long time; the one that had claimed to love me back, had kissed someone else. My hopes had been shattered in an instant. Kelly had moved on.

I rose to my feet; shaking with the weight of my sudden knowledge.

"Shadow? Where ya going? Shadow? Hey! Come back!"

I didn't stop to listen for her pleas. I was off and into the woods. I couldn't be around her. Not now.

Heartbroken and distraught, I stumbled around blindly until I fell on my sorry-ass; tired and hungry.

* * *

_"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel. When will you ever learn to act like a respectable Pokemon?"_

I would have whirled to face who was speaking to me; but my legs were frozen in time. Two black-ringed sapphire blue eyes appeared before me.

"C-Celebi?"

Her green body materialized.

_"The one and only," _she replied with a mock curtsy.

"Why have you come?" I asked bitterly.

She looked surprised I asked that question.

_"Aren't you going to ask why I called you an inferior Pokemon?"_

When I didn't answer, she told me anyway. _"Poochyena are loyal to their masters. Running away doesn't classify as loyal; I don't believe." _

I stared at her; stupefied at her bluntness.

"Ex_cuse_ me!? _She's_ the one who just kissed a guy she's barely know for a month!" I cried out in defense.

When she made a point to ignore my pitiful excuses; I mumbled something I instantly regretted.

"I wish I had never been reborn."

Celebi's kind and playful demeanor instantly darkened.

_"How can a creature as lucky as you be so ungrateful?"_ she asked in a threateningly soft voice.

I cringed at the level of disappointment that resounded in her voice. I opened my mouth to take it back, but the look in her eye paralyzed me in fear.

_"Come with me,"_ she said flatly.

She plunged her paw into my body and yanked out my soul. I watched as my Poochyena body went limp and crumpled to the forest floor. My eyes were torn from the disturbing sight as I was drug into the night by Celebi.

We entered some dark vortex thing and entered a world parallel to mine. Celebi teleported me to a small pine grove. A familiar form showed through the mist.

"Claire?" I asked; voice choked.

She was lying on one side; chest barely rising and falling. Her tail flame was barely glowing; dangerously dim in the twilight.

I took a step forward towards her; and realized I had been restored to human form. I looked around for Celebi; but she was no where to be seen.

I knelt next to my best friend and attempted to lift her. My pale white hands went through her; as if she were a mirage. A little creeped out; I backed up.

"Claire, what happened to you?" I moaned.

Suddenly; I heard the sound of ominous thunder overhead. My eyes widened.

"No," I whispered.

I frantically searched for something to shelter her flame; but everything I found I couldn't touch; my hand slipping right through it. I watched; frozen in sadness, as the rain began to drip down. It started slow, and then began to pound the ground like a war drum.

She didn't make an effort to get up as the rain pelted her tiny body; sizzling with every contact.

"Claire!" I screamed hoarsely.

I ran to her and tried to hold her. I watched in horror as her tail flame fizzled out; and she breathed her last breath.

I wept for the Charmander; mourning her deeply. I felt a light touch on my translucent shoulder.

"What happened to her?" I sobbed.

She simply shook her head. _"Later, little one. Come; on to the next scene."_

Celebi teleported us to a building. The halls were dark and long. I walked down the hall and ran into an exhibit. There was a Cranidos fossil.

_This must be Tyson's fossil._

I then noticed the date on it. It was nearly 20 years from present.

I rubbed the dust from the exhibit glass. Tyson would remain dead to the world.

* * *

The light touch came again, and in an instant we were teleported elsewhere. I was on a limb of a mighty oak tree; staring at a nest of two Swablu chicks and three Starly chicks. It was dark out; and they were resting peacefully; in a deep slumber. Then; I felt as though someone were watching me.

I turned and saw two eyes gleaming in the shadows. They slowly crept closer, and closer. A blue blur suddenly leaped from the shadows and pounced onto the nest.

Squawks and pitiful cries shattered the peaceful quiet; as the monster murdered the innocent bird Pokemon. When the monster had finished it's terrible deed, it turned to face me. I recoiled in disbelief at what I saw.

My little Kenya.

Blood dripped from her fangs. She had evolved into a Luxio. Any trace of innocence had completely vanished; along with her loving, caring demeanor.

"Kenya? Honey, what happened?" I cried out in anguish.

She licked her chops; a sadistic gleam in her eye. I heard the flutter of wings nearby, and she dove back into the shadows. The mother Altaria landed on the branch; roosting for the night. But when she saw the bloody remains of her young; she cried out. She wept. Devastated.

I heard cynical chuckles from beyond the shadows.

* * *

I waited for the light touch anxiously; wanting terribly to escape the mournful sobs of the mother Altaria. It came eventually; and I was teleported again. This time; it was a hotel room.

The room was dark; depressing. Unlike the other places I'd been forced to visit; this one seemed to be on mute. Greg walked into the room and pulled out a Poke Ball. The pink beam of energy zapped the ground; and Shelley appeared.

I watched in silent horror as Greg beat her for no apparent reason; other then to get his sick kicks.

She let out a silent scream; and then collapsed. He gave a silent command and she rose; shaking. I turned and squeezed my eyes tightly shut for the next part.

I would not watch Shelley die.

When I finally turned to face the scene; Greg had disappeared. A lump rose in my translucent throat as I saw her body slumped over in the corner.

* * *

I felt a gentle tap; and the hotel room left my view. I was sick at my stomach. Claire and Shelley were dead; Tyson was frozen in time in his fossil, and Kenya; sweet, sweet Kenya, had turned into a murderous monster. What else could Celebi show me to make me feel like a rotting piece of shit?

I was teleported to a bedroom. It looked familiar to me. Kelly walked in; clutching something to her chest. Her eyes were hollow; haunted. Mascara streaks ran down her face; from hours upon hours of crying.

With her left fist still tightly clenched around the object; she slowly crawled into her bed. Trembling all over, she kissed the object, and laid it on her bedside table. From the drawer; she grabbed a silver gun. Realizing what was happening; I felt vomit bubble up in my throat.

"K-Kelly; p-please, don't! Kelly, It's not worth it! _I'm_ not worth it!" I screamed desperately.

She was deaf to me, though. She numbly lifted the gun to her head; and pulled the trigger. The shot that echoed in my head would haunt me for years to come.

I broke down into uncontrollable sobs as I heard ambulances in the distance. They came in, found her, and then the picture of me she had clung to until her very final moments. She did care. How could I have been such a prick?

Celebi appeared at my side; and we once again teleported. I was right in front of the vortex; the window into the old world. I saw my lifeless Poochyena form; and was filled with an even deeper sadness.

"Why?" I asked simply.

Celebi hovered in front of me; sympathy etched in her face.

"Why w-would you s-show me these things?" I stuttered.

Celebi sighed. _"Little one; I only showed you what would have happened if you had chosen to not be reborn." _

I lifted my head.

"So… what _happened_ to all of them. How did _I_ cause all this?"

_"Daniel; you impact every life you touch. That's the way the universe works. Without you; Kelly committed suicide. Thus; she died without honor. Since she did not set out on her journey; Claire was eventually given to the brat she was originally meant to be given to. Her trainer had no paitience; and she was abandoned again. This time, however; she didn't make it." "Without you, Kelly, and Claire to help Kenya; she grew to not only hate bird Pokemon; she began to kill any she saw without just cause. Without this journey; Tyson was not traded to you by the Ruin Maniac. Thus; he was sold to a museum; where he was remained until it burned down in a fire." _

When Celebi paused for a breath; I mistook it as the end of the explanation.

"And what of Shelley?" I demanded.

"How did my existence prevent Greg from becoming an abuser?"

Celebi sighed. _"I was getting to that. Technically; it didn't prevent it. You see; while Raina and Greg were traveling with you; instead of beating her and killing her, Greg was unable to hurt her due to the fact she was always with you." _

I took a deep breath. "Do you mean that now that Raina and Greg left our group…"

She nodded solemnly.

_"Yes. Unfortunately, that is what I was getting at." _

In shock from my latest revelation; I sighed shakily.

"I-I'm sorry I was so ungrateful, Celebi. And selfish. I get the picture now."

She smiled warmly at me.

_"I know you have a good heart, Daniel. It's just becoming my duty to make sure it shows every now and again." _

I smiled weakly; and then turned to the vortex.

_"Are you ready to return, now?"_

I walked through the vortex.

"Yes. I've never been more sure than now."

* * *

**A/N: So now Shadow knows of what's happening to Shelley. I didn't want to end it here; but i wanted to updat once more today; just for a change of pace. Thanks again to all who reviewed; as you can see, they motivate me to update faster (:**

**Don't forget to check out my poll. It would be appreciated (almost) as much as reviews.**

**Until next time,**

**Shelby**


	19. Emotions

**A/N: Hello, everyone! A big thanks to those who reviewed Chapter 18. Warning ahead of time- this is a filler chapter. Nothing truly interesting occurs; but it had to be written. **

* * *

Chapter Nineteen

Emotions

Claire, Tyson, and Kenya sat facing me. It the morning following the incident with Celebi.

(She had rerolled time so I never ran away. I had come to except the fact that Kelly had moved on; and was glad she had instead of dwelling on my death to the point of suicide.)

I watched as the three faces shifted from questioning gazes, to shock and horror, and then pure rage as I explained what was happening to Shelley. They never questioned as to how I gained this information; which I'm grateful for. It would be complicated to explain.

Claire was enraged; a glint in her eye I had never seen before.

"That sick bastard! I'll claw his eyes out."

Tyson even seemed upset. "I'll headbutt him in his balls so hard…"

Kenya seemed deeply saddened; though I could tell she sought revenge. "Shelley was nice to me… well, sometimes. How dare Greg hurt her? She's never hurt him _too_ bad." She looked confused that something this terrible could happen to someone she knew.

I could've kissed her. Her innocence was intact.

"I'll electrocute him so bad… he'll be badly electrocuted!" she said triumphantly; proud to be doing her part.

I chuckled in spite of myself. It was good to have her back.

I hadn't told them of Celebi's arrival. There was no point. That was… what could've been. Not what was. No point in dwelling on it further.

"I swear; I'll castrate that son of a bitch, singe off his favorite appendage, _in addition_ to clawing his eyes out!" Claire snarled.

"Do you know _where_ they are, Uncle Shadow?" asked Kenya expectantly.

I sighed. "I-I'm not sure," I said solemnly.

We all looked up when we heard someone quietly padding over to us. I raised what bit of an eyebrow a Poochyena has. "Grace? What do you want?"

She sat down and swished her tails at me in annoyance. "You all have been sitting over here in a secluded group all morning. You can't blame me for being a tad suspicious, can you, now?"

I rolled my eyes. Claire pointed her index finger to her temple and signaled he was crazy. I didn't have time for her and her… philosophical crap. Grace ignored our obvious disdain at her presence.

"Look; all I want to know," she sighed, "is how I can help?"

Our new recruit was interrupted by Wes's voice up ahead. "Hey guys! We made it! Welcome to Floaroma!"

* * *

"Can you see them yet?" a feminine voice called out.

He squirmed and readjusted his binoculars. "Yeah. They entered Floaroma Town. We're too late," he mumbled.

The night wind ruffled her hair and she impatiently tied it back in a ponytail, then shivered. "Shit. I'll be glad to get back to Kanto."

He nodded. When he realized she couldn't see his nod in the dark, he added a vocal affirmation.

"Yeah."

"So… now what?" he asked after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence.

She stood and swept her bangs from her face; then dusted off her black pants. "We get a hotel before dawn."

She stealthily moved through the shadows; her dark clothing keeping her hidden. He sighed and shed his green jacket; stuffing it in his bag.

"Okay."

* * *

"Welcome to the Floaroma Pokemon Center! You're up early today," chirped the Nurse Joy from the counter.

"Actually; it's more like out _late_ for us," explained Kelly.

When Nurse Joy just stared at her questioningly; Wes laughed and grabbed the card keys for our room. Kelly stuck her tongue out at him and had us healed; even though we hadn't had a battle since the Gym.

I guess traveling, revelations, and visits from naggy legendaries _would_ wear you out.

* * *

_"So I'm naggy, am I?"_

Oh crud.

Everyone froze; and I turned to face Celebi with a sly smile.

"You know I'm just kidding. But; why have you come? And how did you read my mind?"

_"I came because you and your mortal friends aren't very good at tracking down Turtwigs in need. And the mind-reading is a job perk." _

My eyes bulged. "You can tell me where Shelley is?" I asked excitedly.

She looked around uncomfortably. _"Err… no. See; I'm breaking a lot of rules as it is. By visiting you a lot, I mean. I have… regulations. Guidelines. Rules-" _

I interrupted her quickly, "Wait a minute. Mew is the ultimate goddess, correct? I thought she liked me and approved of your keeping me in line and such."

Celebi grinned. _"Although Mew agrees you are a big pain in the ass; she likes you. It's Arceus that's raising hell about it." _

I shot her a confused look. She rolled her eyes.

_"Arceus started out as one of her underlings; no more powerful than I. But; being the only Pokemon with the ability to change it's type; it has gotten… well, cocky. Stress has worn down on Mew; she's getting weaker. Legendaries can't just waltz into a Pokemon Center, mind you. So… Arceus is a bit intimidating. To everyone. Though it and Giratina are close." _

I just stared at her; utterly and completely lost in her babbling.

_"Oh nevermind. It's political crap. Point is; I cannot tell you exactly where she is." _

Her eyes lifted from me, and then began to rapidly shift from me to the window. I turned and saw two faint figures in black step out of the shadows of the woods. They pulled on jackets of lighter colors, and then entered the hotel across the street. Long, wavy hair caught my eye.

"Raina?" I asked.

But when I turned around to get answers out of Celebi; she had disappeared; leaving me to wonder what the hell to do about Shelley.

* * *

"Let's go you guys," said Kelly mid-yawn.

"Whoa, hang on there, miss," said an orderly.

Kelly frowned. "What?"

"The rooms are… well, tiny. Therefore; you either have to keep all your Pokemon in their balls, or we can leave them in our care center."

She looked at him questioningly.

He explained futher, "It's like a hotel room for all the Pokemon kept here-"

Kelly held up her hand, then turned to us. "Well? What do you guys want to do?"

Wes looked to Grace. She strode over to our little group. I nuzzled Kelly's ankle, and then walked in the direction of the day care.

"Okay, you guys. Be careful. We'll leave tomorrow morning. Wes and I are… really worn out. Don't get into any trouble, okay? We'll be back for you when we're leaving Floaroma; or if we go anywhere."

She took Wes's hand, and they left for their separate rooms.

"Follow me," said the orderly; leading us to a medium-sized hotel room.

Their was Pokemon beds lining the walls. For every Pokemon Bed there was a food bowl beside it. And the rest of the room? Nothing. That was it. Talk about cheap. The only Pokemon outside our group were a Munchlax and a Meowth. They were both snoozing on their beds; not even acknowledging the presence of five new Pokemon in their midst.

"Okay you guys; I have some news," I announced.

"What is it that it can't wait until I've had some sleep?" asked Claire in an annoyed tone.

I hesitated, and then decided to go ahead with it.

"I t-think I saw Raina earlier. Outside. Greg was with her."

Everyone looked shocked, except Grace; who didn't seemed fazed.

"You mean that chick with the long wavy blue hair? And her little boyfriend? You idiot; they've been following us since we left Oreburgh. Any Pokemon with a nose like yours should have been able to figure that out."

Claire and Tyson looked at me with accusing looks on their faces, but Kenya jumped to my defense.

"Well you didn't say anything, either!"

Grace frowned. "How was I supposed to know you guys were trying to find them? You _just_ told me, remember?"

We bickered back and forth for a while until the Meowth threatened to claw our eyes out. Then; after Claire set one Pokemon bed on fire; we all fell asleep; the Charmander extra careful to hold her tail away from the flammable material.

* * *

He watched her chest rise and fall in perfect rhythm. He wanted nothing else than to lay beside her and sleep. Confused by his emotions, he remained in his chair. They had spent hours talking; hours that had been meant for sleep. Yet… he could not make himself leave her to go to his own bed.

Sure; he had 'loved' many other girls. And yes; they _had_ been super-model material, but he had never given them his heart. Looks was about all they had to offer. But… there was something different about her.

He fiddled with the ring on his finger. She wasn't the kind of pretty he was used to. She wasn't extraordinary; just… a simple kind of pretty. The simple kind that made him weak in the knees.

She had an easy laugh, a ready smile, and a hot-headed temper. He sighed and rose from his chair stiffly. She was everything he wanted. And more.

At that moment; he let go of his fear, and truly let himself freely love her without doubt. No holding back. He softly kissed her forehead, and then left her room.

That was the greatest kind of love, after all. Loving with all your heart and soul. And not needing anything in return to do so.

* * *

"Leah, you have mail!" called out the headmaster of Azalea Pokemon Academy.

A pale young girl with dark brown, naturally curled hair ran swiftly towards the mail bag; pushing past her classmates.

Tomorrow; she would travel by sea to Pallet Town in Kanto; where she would begin her Pokemon Journey.

"Here you are, Leah. It's come from Sinnoh."

Leah greedily snatched the letter and retreated to her room; trembling with excitement. She hoped with all her heart it was Kelly. She wanted to hear from her older sister. Gleefully she giggled when one-hundred dollars fell out. She ripped it open and scanned the letter. The farther down the page she read; the more her face fell. Her sister wouldn't be visiting her. Kelly was too busy. Crestfallen, Leah sat on her bed; staring out the window at the beautiful Johto sky.

Sometimes; she felt like she lived worlds away from her family.

* * *

**A/N: Oh; by the way. I was informed by one of the readers that i forgot to put my poll on my profile! :( whoopsies. But it's up now and I would really REALLY appreciate it if you would vote... like i said last chapter; almost more than reviews. (But not quite) XD**

**Oh; and i feel guilty about the boooooring chapter. So- I'm going to try to update again today; this next chapter either contains the turning point or will build up and the next chapter will be the big one. (:**

**Until then,**

**Shelby**


	20. Premonition

**A/N: It's here. The long- awaited 20th chapter... and Part One of the Turning Point. Enjoy~**

* * *

Chapter Twenty

The Premonition

"Come on, Tyson! _Please?_" begged Claire.

He grumbled and remained firm. "No way! Just because my ancestors enjoy ramming things with their heads, doesn't mean I want to headbutt… whatever that is you're pointing at!"

Grace rolled her eyes. "That's an air vent you prehistoric nub."

Claire and I laughed at this. Perhaps we could come to like her after all. Tyson, however, was _not_ amused.

"I hate the future. With a passion. Why don't they just open one of… those things to let air in?"

"Window," Claire and I said in unison.

He sighed exasperatedly. "Whatever!"

"Why do we need to open the air vent, anyway?" asked Kenya.

"Because we're bored, our owners have forgotten us, and we want to help Shelley," I snapped.

Well; in all fairness, it was only the next morning. They were probably still sleeping. Of course; the only thing Kenya got out of my statement was the word 'bored'.

"Bored? Oh, oh, I know! Let's play a game!" she yelped excitedly. She began running in circles around the small room.

The Meowth had long since confronted us; only to get a singed tail by the combined efforts of Claire and Grace. He was cowering in the corner; fighting with every fiber of his being to not succumb to the insanity.

I laughed. That was one battle he _couldn't_ win.

The door clicked open; and Kelly poked her head in. "Claire, Shadow, Kenya, Grace, Tyson, let's go!"

Tyson looked relieved he wouldn't have to hit the air vent. But; Claire is well-known for being a bitchy lizard, so she displayed that side by picking him up and ramming his head into the air vent anyway for good measure. He stumbled backwards; reeling back and forth while Claire cackled happily; enjoying every minute of it.

Kenya stopped her sprinting to tend to Tyson. "Tyson? Are you okay? Did Claire hurt you?" she asked sweetly.

He glared at the Charmander who was grinning at him.

"I _told_ ya you would have to ram into it!" she said between snickers.

He then turned to Kenya and stumbled a little; regaining his balance after the harsh impact.

"Tyson is fine; little blue-furred one. But now Tyson will get revenge on bitchy yellow-orange lizard."

Claire stopped dead; and so did I.

"Please tell me you did _not_ just speak third-person again," I pleaded as we followed Kelly out to the lobby where Wes was waiting .

That was the last thing we needed; for sure, was more things to annoy Claire and I.

Tyson stared at me dubiously. "What is this 'third speaking' you accuse Tyson of? Tyson will not be accused; no Tyson will not."

I did a mental head smack. "Someone, please! Just shoot me now!"

Kelly stopped short in front of me; causing me to collide with her ankle, and a chain reaction down the line.

"Shadow, watch where you're going, silly," said Kelly warmly.

She picked me up and held me; gently stroking my charcoal fur. "Well, what should we do now, Wes? We can either stay here the rest of the day and then head out tonight, or we can-"

"We're staying here," he said; cutting her short, "there's something I want to show you before we leave."

Kelly smiled. "Well, okay. Since you're so excited about it. We leave tonight! We'll get to Eterna City by late tomorrow afternoon!"

I licked Kelly's cheek and nestled deep down into her arms. It was good to be with her. Even if she thought I was a simple Poochyena born with a brain the size of a baby's fist.

* * *

Celebi was in pain. Pain like she hadn't felt in centuries.

She winced as she flew in the dark forest; fleeing the nagging ache. Legend says that Celebi only appears in peaceful times.

Legend was correct.

She avoided time periods where hurt and anguish were present; because they slowly killed her.

She darted past many trees; desperately seeking the vortex that would allow her to escape her pain. Time travel was the only way. Travel back to the future and remain there.

She cried out as a wracking pain shot through her body. How could she not have seen this coming? She had carefully read the future; there was not to be any devastation in this time period. But what if…

She looked up into the sky and knew instantly what had happened.

_Arceus._

She frantically searched for the vortex; and eventually found it. Her eyes glowed as she traveled to the future through the swirling black gap between decades. She appeared instantly in her home; Ilex Forest. Exhausted; she lay in the highest branch of the tallest tree and used Heal Bell. When her health was fully restored, her eyes glowed once again.

There was only one creature in the time period she had just left that she was concerned about. And that was Daniel.

Her face contorted in anguish and horror as she watched what the near future contained for him. Tears slid down her cheek. Held prisoner by her knowledge; she came to the realization that due to the tragedy about to occur, she wouldn't be able to go back to that time period anytime soon.

Celebi would not be able to help him this time.

* * *

"This is beautiful, Wes!" exclaimed Kelly.

He had led her into the woods into a meadow. Beautifly and Butterfree floated lazily around in the sunlight that streamed through the trees. The meadow was covered with colorful blossoms; of all the colors of the rainbow. As we entered; the resident Roselia, Sunflora, Bellossom, and Cherrim fled; not accustomed to human contact. Kelly's eyes danced with joy.

"Oh, Wes… how did you know this was here?"

He grinned. "I vacationed here once with a friend." He smiled wistfully. "It's so… peaceful, isn't it?"

Then; a single sound shattered it all. The sound of a gun cocking.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you?"

Wes whirled around and faced the man behind the menacing voice.

"Who's there?" he snarled; Grace growling at his side.

"Recall your Pokemon," demanded the man.

Wes grudgingly recalled Grace. Kelly remained firm; though she was nervous.

"You too, blondie!"

She shakily grabbed the Poke Balls from her bag. "Return."

Claire, Kenya, and Tyson disappeared from my view. The man, still hidden in the shadows, was not satisfied.

"The little grey one too!"

A tear rolled down Kelly's cheek. "He d-doesn't have a P-Poke Ball," she sputtered.

I hid behind her legs; trying to growl; though my tail was tucked tightly between my legs. I had a really bad feeling about this.

Wes wrapped his arm protectively around Kelly.

"What do you want with us?" he asked; sounding bolder than I acted.

The man finally emerged from the shadows; pistol in hand. He was clad in all black; with a large red R on his shirt. A Team Rocket grunt.

He whistled; and about ten other grunts emerged from the edge of the meadow; forming a semi-circle around us.

"Get the dog," he snarled.

"Shadow!" cried Kelly as they shot a net gun. I was snared easily; and thrown far away from my master.

"Shut up!" he yelled at her; pointing his gun at her head.

Kelly didn't back down, though. She stared at him calmly. Solemnly. I whined for her; but the grunt nearest to me kicked me in my ribs. I yelped and Kelly lunged; though Wes successfully held her back. The Team Rocket Grunt whom had first confronted us walked forward.

"Give me your Poke Balls," he growled.

Kelly broke down sobbing as she handed him her belt. Wes looked sadly at the ball containing Grace, and then tossed it to the grinning man. The grunt looked suspiciously at him.

"I don't believe that's the only Pokemon a guy like you owns-"

"The other one was stolen a few weeks ago," snapped Wes in a believable voice. The grunt backed off.

"Should we radio the boss?" one of his underlings asked. The head grunt nodded.

"Yes. Give it to me."

He pulled out the antenna, and hit the call button. With his free hand, he motioned to his men.

"String 'em up, boys!"

I watched helplessly from the sidelines as Wes and Kelly were tied up back to back.

"Please tell me you've caught them," said a muffled voice over the radio.

"Yeah. They weren't hard to catch, neither. Maybe _we_ should've followed them for a week or two…"

Realizing he had spoken to much, he trailed off and fell silent.

"I'll be there soon. Stay put," the voice said in an annoyed tone.

Relaxing a bit; he began polishing his pistol.

Not ten minutes later; footsteps could be heard on the path. The Team Rocket head grunt motioned and his men rose; guns pointed at the entrance to the meadow. Kelly lifted her head.

"R-Raina?"

Raina looked around in mock horror; though in Kelly's fragile state, it fooled her.

"Raina, look, I know we had a fight, but _please_! Help us," Kelly begged through her sobs.

Greg appeared at Raina's side and sneered at her.

"Fat chance, you stupid bitch."

Kelly ignored the bitter little brat and turned once again to Raina.

"Raina, _please_. Do something!"

Raina grinned sadistically and slowly unbuttoned her blue jacket.

"Sorry, _Kel_. I believe you're out of luck. You see; I have more important matters to attend to."

She shed her jacket and it dropped to the ground. Kelly's jaw dropped. There on Raina's black shirt was…

A blood red R.

* * *

**A/N: Please don't kill me because of the cliffy! If you do; remember, no more LITM. **

**Okay, now. I've been working on this chapter from 1:00 PM today until now. Revising, Proof-reading, Re-writing, more proof-reading, etc. Yes I'm a slow writer. But maybe it's worth it in the end. But; after 8 hours of work, don't you think this is worthy of a review? **

**It's not necessary. It will probably be Friday or so until I get around to updating again. I'm hitting a bit of writer's block. But thanks to all who have reviewed so far and to those whom have voted on my poll. It means a lot and absolutely makes my day. (:**

**Until next time,**

**Shelby**


	21. Goodnight, Sweet Angel

**A/N: Well, quite a few of you will hate me after this chappie. Although this is Part Two of the turning point; i don't think it came out very well. But perhaps I'll have time to come back and revise later. School is fast- approaching, and after that updates will be few and far between. But enough rambling on and on- here's Chapter 21.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One

Goodnight, Sweet Angel

Kelly's jaw dropped. My eyes bulged. Wes didn't even look up; his head hanging in shame.

"So, Kelly. I'm guessing you're shocked?"

Her eyes flashed angrily. "Of course I'm shocked you stupid bitch! When you told me all about yourself you forgot to mention the important you're a fucking criminal!"

"What is Team Rocket doing in Sinnoh, anyway? I thought it was Kanto-based."

Raina rolled her eyes. "Oh please. We aren't cave-men."

"Could've fooled me," mumbled Wes in a low voice.

Raina snapped her fingers, and the nearest grunt kicked him hard in his stomach. Kelly glanced at him concernedly, and then whirled to face Raina and Greg.

Raina cleared her throat, "As I was saying; we made landfall in Sinnoh months ago. No one really knows it though because all of our destruction is blamed on Team Galactic. Which is good for-"

"But _why_?" asked Kelly; sounding defeated.

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!" yelled Raina.

Greg took a step away from her; as if afraid she would lash out on him. Raina calmed down a bit; long enough to answer Kelly's question.

"They send an aspiring Rocket out with an assistant," she nodded at Greg, "to follow a trainer and take their Pokemon."

I wish now more than ever that Claire and I had not investigated beyond the window; perhaps this would never have happened. But then…

I was snapped from my thoughts as Kelly asked her next question.

"So _that's_ why you came with me!? What about your precious _sketches_!" screamed Kelly; tears streaming down her face.

Greg stepped forward for this one. "Are you honestly that ignorant? Did you _ever_ notice her sketching during one of your battles? Huh? We stole that from some loser to use as a decoy, shit-for-brains."

Wes kicked himself around so he was facing Greg. "Look, shut the hell up, you idiotic, greasy little shit-fucking monkey! Or I swear, I'll-"

He was cut short as the grunt once again kicked him. He glared at Greg; pure hatred shining in his eyes so bright even _I_ was intimidated by his sailor-swearing. Greg grinned and stuck out his slimy little tongue.

"You'll what?" he mocked.

Raina yawned and checked her watch in an attempt to piss Wes off even more.

"Look, I'd love to chat some more about how gullible you were and stuff along those lines, but it's getting late and I don't want any cops to find us. So… we'll be going now."

She snapped her fingers and her underlings began packing up their things. A slight gleam caught my eye. Wes nonchalantly looked around; and when he saw he was unnoticed, he began sawing furiously at the rope binding him and Kelly together with his pocket knife. The ropes finally went slack. Wes instantly tightened it in his fists; so the grunts wouldn't notice.

"When I count to three," he breathed to Kelly in a barely audible voice, "you jump up and run for your life. I'll take care of these goons."

She awkwardly twisted around and kissed him; not a peck, I mean a friggin _kiss_. He pulled back; stunned. Then, he began his silent countdown.

The countdown until all hell broke loose.

Wes leapt up and stabbed the head grunt in the side of his neck; screaming wildly to distract everyone long enough for Kelly to slip away. She bolted… straight for me. The grunt guarding me had left to help his fallen leader.

"Shadow, honey, you're not thinking straight. You can get out," she said, kneeling next to me desperately trying to break the rope with shaky fingers. She heard the guard returning and kissed my nose a final time. "Fire Fang, Shadow!"

Gathering my thoughts; I managed to bite and burn through the net.

"Now run! Run, Shadow! Don't ever look back," she screamed through her tears.

I ran; my heart pounding.

_You're a coward. A fucking coward. Yeah, that's right; run, you fucking loser. _

I stopped at the edge of the meadow; in the underbrush, hidden from view. Trembling all over; that word echoed through my head.

_Coward_.

I returned my attention to the fight; my amber and red eyes hidden from view. Wes had thrown his pocketknife with expert skill at the grunt about to kill Kelly; piercing the Rocket in the side and killing him instantly. Kelly pulled the knife from his carcass and began fighting with the grunt nearest to her. She fought in such closeness to him he could not turn his rifle to shoot her. She slashed his chest once, twice, four times; before he fell to the ground with a dull thud.

Wes had pulled a dagger out of his bag, (how long had he owned _that_?) and finished off another Rocket; leaving two wounded grunts. That's when it hit me; Raina and Greg had disappeared from view. I was sickened with dread as I heard three short, mocking claps.

"Bravo," said Raina flatly.

Kelly and Wes whirled to face her. As they did; the two 'wounded' grunts leapt to their feet, pulled daggers of their own, and held them to Wes and Kelly's throat. They instantly dropped their weapons when told to.

"Now, to get to more important matters," said Raina. "I was planning on just taking you two prisoner, but… I guess things don't always work out as planned, do they?"

A flash of pink light; and then Shelley appeared next to Greg.

"Use Vine Whip to constrict them," he ordered.

Shelley looked lost; depressed. She solemnly stretched out her vines to wrap them around Kelly. But instead, she wrapped them around the weapon that was dangerously close to Kelly's throat. She flung it back at Greg and Raina; whom narrowly missed the attack. The dagger, however, smashed into her Poke Ball. Her eyes bulged. She was free. _Free._ She took off running; in the opposite direction of me.

I yearned to go find Shelley and console her; to never allow her to leave my sight again, but if I moved I risked being discovered.

_Coward_.

In fairy tale stories; the good guys always win. They all _almost_ die; but then one 'hero' steps forward and saves them all. He/She is courageous, brave, bold, tenacious, and selfless.

Well let me clue you in on something.

The real world doesn't work that way.

"Get back here you little bitch!" screamed Greg.

Raina silenced him, and then motioned to her underlings. The grunts pinned Kelly and Wes up against separate trees; and tied them up.

"Stop, please! Please; just leave us alone!" screamed Wes desperately.

Raina pulled out a pistol and stroked its gleaming surface. She strode over to Wes. She looked him up and down; and her eyes rested on his hand.

"Untie this one," she said simply.

Wes looked around suspiciously as he was let to the ground. Raina smiled at him; perfect teeth flashing.

"I know of your past, Weston. Leave this meadow. Now." She grinned evilly at him. "And that's an order."

He twisted the ring around his finger, and then turned to Kelly.

"I'm not leaving," he said in a choked voice.

"Wes, don't be an idiot," said Kelly; her voice surprisingly calm considering the circumstances. "Get out of here. If you find Shadow… tell him I love him more than anything in the world. Take him to my little sister. I would've wanted her to have all my Pokemon…" her voice faltered and she hung her head, sobbing.

Raina walked over to him and whispered, "If you don't leave immediately; we'll tell her all about your little secret."

Wes shot her a venomous glare.

If looks could kill…

"I love you, Kelly," he sobbed.

"And I you," she whispered. "Which is why I want more than anything for you to just go. Find Shadow. Find my sister in Kanto. Tell her I-"

A shot rang out. Raina had shot her gun into the air; making it very clear she was impatient. Wes turned and ran; never turning back. I kept my attention on my beloved master, and friend.

"Any last words, wench?" asked Raina.

I think it hit me just then; they were going to kill her. I picked up a paw to go and try some desperate attempt to save her, but froze. It would make no difference. I couldn't save her now.

"Yeah, actually, I do," said Kelly solemnly.

"Fuck. You."

Middle finger stiffly held in the air, Kelly made no sound as three bullets pierced her flesh.

Thus; I lost my best friend, master, and the love of my life.

* * *

**A/N: Sucks when you lose a main character, huh?**

**Yes; i know a lot of people probably thought she and Wes would miraculously escape. Wrongo. May this story always continue to shock and surprise you.**

**And now; Claire, Tyson, and Kenya are out of the picture along with Shelley. **

**Or are they??**

**Please Review. Reviews= Faster, better updates. [=**

**Until next time,**

**Shelby**


	22. Uncertain Future

**A/N: Perhaps this Chapter will tone down on the PM death threats I'm getting. =P Though I'm not rushing this story; that's for certain. **

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two

Uncertain Future

Blank. That's the only way I can explain myself at that moment in time. There in that meadow. That once- beautiful, flower-filled meadow. Now stained with blood.

The Roselia, Cherrim, Sunflora, and Bellossom tenderly step out from hiding. Seeing the flowers with red streaks; they begin to weep.

I couldn't bring myself to look at her. She's not there anymore. I watch the whole thing; the sound of sirens progressively getting louder. The stretcher she is loaded onto. The dead Rocket grunts being kicked into the brush.

No one cares about them. I know it should thrill me that they remain nameless; dead to the word. But I can't help but think of their families. Do they sit at home, thinking their little boy or girl is off having the adventure of their lives? When, in reality; their children join a cult, harm Pokemon, and take innocent lives; and eventually end up dying a dishonorable deaths themselves.

I laid down with my head in my paws; no will to get up. I barely heard Wes's distant voice; calling my name. The name Kelly had given me. For the first time since her death; I wept.

* * *

_The new mother licked her newborn kits. She had finished; and she was exhausted. She lay on her side; breathing heavily. Her mate strode in and began licking her young for her. She was about to drift off to sleep, when she felt a psychic-like force invade her. She panicked; and leapt to her feet; hissing violently. _

_When labor began for the sixth time; she relaxed a bit. That was all it was. Another kit. She could handle that. _

_She went through the same routine she had been through for the five other kits. She pushed a final time; and the kit came out; squealing and kicking. She smiled. This one was a fighter. When she bit through the sack and had licked it clean; she took the time to look at her final baby. She had already known this one was the runt. She had noticed that when cleaning it. But… this kit was even more special. In a bad way. _

_"Honey," she said slowly; uncertainly. _

_Her mate arose. "What is it, love?" _

_She nudged the kit; and he looked closer. He took a step back and shuddered. His newest child was not cream and brown like the rest. __This kit was pure white._

* * *

Celebi breathed in slowly. She had done it. She had returned to the time period from which she had fled.

As another wracking pain shot through her body; she used Heal Bell furiously. She could do this. It hurt; but she could live through it.

She watched from her tree branch as the Eon couple wept over their newest kit. But she had picked the two in the Eon Community that were the toughest. The strongest of will. They could handle the prejudice that followed the birth of their last kit.

Celebi sighed and used Heal Bell again. She felt like _she_ was the one who had just given birth to six kits.

* * *

I was unaware of the soft footsteps behind me. An intense warmth enveloped me; and I looked up when Grace said my name.

"Shadow?"

I turned and faced her; shocked. "Grace? I thought Wes surrendered you to the Rockets!"

She shrugged her scarlet shoulders. "Nah. He gave them an empty Poke Ball and hid mine."

I nodded, and then returned to my former state; silent and numb.

She sighed exassperatedly. "Look, Shadow. Wes has been calling you for twenty minutes straight. You can't ignore him!"

When I didn't answer, she sighed.

"Look; I know losing Kelly was… a nightmare, and, I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost Wes, but you _have_ to get up and come with us. Don't you want to fulfill Kelly's dying wish?"

I numbly stared off into the distance. It was like I was underwater. Everything was blurred; dull. Including her voice.

I heard another feminine voice from a ways off. "Damnit. Uno! Come get me untangled from these stupid vines."

Grace turned her attention to the voice. "Anne, I found him."

I heard a grumble. "So bring him here so we can get back on the road! I'm anxious to get back to Kanto." There was a thud and more grumbling.

"Gee, thanks Uno," said Anne sarcastically.

A male voice chuckled. Grace turned to me. "Stay here."

When I didn't make any attempt to do anything but breathe, she sighed exasperatedly and flounced over to where Anne and Uno were.

"On second, thought; I don't think that'll be a problem."

One well-aimed Ember got Anne out of her mess.

"Now; help me drag him back to Wes. I assume Wes'll want to get on the road as soon as possible," Grace said to Anne.

Next thing I knew; I was being drug by my tail through the underbrush towards Floaroma Town.

"I didn't mean _literally_ drag him, Anne!"

The Nidorina rolled her eyes. "Well it's not like I can _carry_ him!"

Grace shot her a withered look.

Anne rolled her eyes. "Hello? Have you not noticed the giant poisonous spikes sticking out of me? Piggyback ride equals instant death for Poochy here."

Uno chucked his spoon at her and hit her upside the head.

"Ouch!" She cried.

He retrieved his spoon and hoisted me onto his back; draped over his shoulder. How dignified.

"Stupid little cutlery-holding, psychic, upright fox thingy," growled Anne under her breath.

I numbly realized that I didn't have a Master. Wes was either going to keep me for himself; or finalize Kelly's dying wish and ship me off to Kanto to become her sister's pet. Suddenly, I came to life and scrambled off Uno. I began walking numbly in the opposite direction.

That is, until I was teleported back in front of Grace, Uno, and Anne; all looking unfazed by my poor attempt at an escape.

"You aren't getting away, Shadow. Uno can use his powers to drag your sorry ass right back," said Anne coldly.

Uno nonchalantly flung his spoon at her head again and she recoiled.

"Well, damn, Uno! Excuse me for setting him straight!" She pouted as we exited the brush.

Wes entered view a few moments later as we continued our slow trek back to the hellhole town.

My curiousity, however, get the better of me. "But wait… I'm a dark type! How was he able too use his powers on me?"

When Uno made no attempt to answer me, Grace took the duty of responding.

"His moves wouldn't affect you in battle. Outside of that; they work just fine."

I laid my ears flat against my skull and withdrew from conversation.

We reached Wes and he took me in his arms. "Shadow… I'm so sorry I didn't find you sooner," he said in a shaky voice, "we'll take care of you until we find Kelly's sister."

I noticed her bag was slung over one of his shoulders. I nudged it, and he explained.

"Sorry, Shadow. I hate to bring back memories, buddy. But… I figured she would want her money and items to go to her sister."

Touched he had thought of that; I licked his nose; the only way I could show my gratitude.

If you had told me two months ago I would be licking some guy's nose; I would have punched you in your mouth.

* * *

Celebi paced back and forth. Well; as well as you can pace while floating. She was in the abyss. She had summoned her cousin an hour ago. The ultimate goddess.

_Where is she?_

A flash of pink; and Mew appeared. _"Yes? What is it, Celebi?"_

Her sapphire blue eyes matched Celebi's in color; but they were weighed down with responsibility, worry, and years of being chased by crazed-Pokemon Trainers.

Celebi made certain to bow; grateful Mew had shown. _"I'm sorry to summon you on such short notice, Mew. It's just that…" _

_"You've fallen in love with this little Poochyena and you want to make his life better in anyway possible. You came to apologize about upsetting Arceus by meddling; and yet you want to know how much more you can interfere." _

Celebi was taken aback. _"Well… yes. I mean; I don't love the Poochyena _that_ way. He just… reminds me of someone I did love." _

Mew nodded; understanding.

_"Do whatever you feel is necessary, cousin. Let _me_ handle Arceus. He forgets; even in this weak state; I am thousands of times more powerful than he." _

Celebi cleared her throat, and then corrected her cousin. _"It."_

Mew laughed. _"Through his stupitidy and sexism; I believe 'it' has earned the title 'he'." _

Celebi marveled at Mew's resolve, and then bowed even lower than before. _"Thank you, Mew." _

The floating pink cat giggled, before disappearing in a cloud of pink smoke.

* * *

_Willow looked down at her brood. Five pairs of liquid brown eyes stared up at her hopefully. The Flareon wished she could satisfy their hunger. But with so little food… _

_"Orin? Is that you?" _

_Her mate strolled in; his smooth gait deceptive of his extreme hunger. _

_"I'm worried about… the special one. She hasn't moved since you left. The other kits won't let her nurse." _

_She waited patiently as her beloved Vaporeon formulated an answer. _

_"Let me see her. I'm sure she's fine, Willow." _

_The Vaporeon nudged the unmoving white form on the ground. It cried out hungrily, and Orin immediately picked it up and set it nearer to it's mother. _

_"She's just cold. And hungry." _

_The Flareon looked relieved. "Good. She may pose a problem, but I would never want anything to-" _

_Orin nodded; understanding what she was getting at. "She was given to us for a reason. We were entrusted with her. She must be terribly special." _

_His mate nodded; though she was staring off into space. He tiptoed to the entrance of the den and grabbed the large Tentacool he had caught. Ice from the river still clung to his fur; making him feel stiff when he walked. He shivered violently, and then carried his catch to his love. _

_She looked joyful when she saw the meal before her. He laid it on the stone slab they used for cooking. They had hired a Machop to build the small pit and the frame that elevated the slab; making cooking possible. Willow used a weak Flamethrower on the assorted leaves and twigs in the pit; igniting a fire to cook the toxins out of the Tentacool. _

_As they waited for their food to be ready; they watched their white kit in amazement as she pushed her littermates aside and got to her mother's belly. When she contentedly began suckling; the other kits began screaming and crying. _

_Orin shot his mate a look. Maybe they shouldn't have had kids._

* * *

Clear blue eyes welled up with tears. Leah flopped onto her bed and cried. A few days ago; she had been upset because she wouldn't see Kelly for a while. Now; deep down in her heart; she knew she would never see her sister again.

She threw the letter she had received out her port-hole window. It fluttered in the breeze and landed in the sea-water below; words smearing and eventually fading completely as the letter dissolved.

Leah heard a foghorn in the distance; and then the ship's horn. She cringed as the ship slowly pulled away. At least she was getting to go to Pallet Town now.

After missing her boat because her idiot headmaster had forgotten they had to drive to the Olivine Seaport; she had had to wait for the next boat. She sighed heavily; wiping the salty tears from her face. She was certainly ready to get to Kanto. She was ready for a new beginning.

* * *

**A/N: I hope this chapter wasn't too hard to follow. But since Shadow is on his own now; this is the only way to keep up with important characters. **

**I know quite a few of you believe I made a mistake having Kelly killed; but believe me- I know what I'm doing. My promise at the beginning of this book was that I would keep this book as close to real-life experiences as possible.**

**In real life; people you love aren't saved because they play a big role in your life. **

**Furthermore; thank you for sticking with this story for twenty-two chapters. Your reviews and feedback make this more fun than I ever imagined it could be.**

**Now on to lighter stuff; next chapter is devoted to Claire, Tyson, Kenya, and Shelley. You'll love Celebi by the end of next chapter! (:**

**Please review........ (: and vote on my poll. **

**Until next time, **

**~Shelby**


	23. Meddling

**A/N: As promised to I_Love_Lucario... this chappie is Celebi centric. And as promised to some _other_ people... it includes Shelley! (: yay**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

Meddling

Celebi yawned and stretched lazily. She crawled out of the hollow tree she had rested in and was immediately blinded by the morning sunshine that burst through the tree branches. There was a dull throb in the back of her skull; though she ignored it. She was accustomed to it by now.

She teleported from the tree to the meadow. The glittering green dust scattered by her made the weeping grass-types begin to sing. As she saw the site of Kelly's death; she felt a shot of pain slice through her like a knife. Shuddering; she hurried to find what she came for. The little figure huddled in the brush; to be exact.

_"Hello, little one! It's your lucky day!" _chirped Celebi.

"Gah!" screeched the Turtwig; tumbling over onto her back. Unable to rollover and therefore unable to identify the voice; the Turtwig hissed violently.

"Whoever you are, get the fuck away! This is anything _but_ my lucky day you sick freak!"

Shelley heard a giggle.

_"Oh, Shelley. Please tell me you don't kiss your mother with that mouth." _

The Turtwig opened her mouth to protest; but then froze. "H-How did you know m-my name?"

Shelley felt a light psychic force gently flip her over. She stared; mouth agape, at the being that gaily floated before her. "C-Celebi!?"

Celebi gracefully bowed in midair. _"That would be correct." _

Shelley thought she saw the beautiful legendary wince slightly, before continuing. "But, why are you here?"

Celebi smiled. _"Look, I'd love to chat, but what do you say we get out of here?"_

Shelley nodded eagerly. "But how? I'm sort of having issues moving, here. That stupid bastard, Greg, beat me until my shell cracked."

Celebi used Heal Bell; realizing she wasn't going anywhere soon, and then looked down at the depressed Turtwig.

_"Would you have liked to have been a bird Pokemon, Shelley?" _

The Turtwig's eyes widened; and then she nodded furiously. "Y-Yes! That's always been my dream! I want to be able to fly. Shit; I can't even jump very high in this stupid body."

Celebi looked thoughtful for a moment. _"Well, Shelley, besides your foul-mouth and rough exterior; I believe you are a kind soul. I will give you your wings to fly." _

And with that; Celebi disappeared in a cloud of sparkling green smoke. The glittering powder covered Shelley; and made her feel irrepressibly happy. She waited excitedly to sprout her wings; but they never came.

"Stupid metaphorical legendary," growled Shelley as the happy dust wore off.

Suddenly; she heard a flutter of wings from above and a loud squawk. A tiny green ball of feathers fell out of the sky, tumbled down through the branches of the trees, and promptly conked Shelley on her head. The ball rolled over, and cowered in front of her.

"Please don't eat me," it moaned. Shelley looked to the sky.

"This wasn't what I had in mind, Celebi!" she cried out in frustration.

* * *

Celebi was impressed with her handiwork. It would be funny to watch this unfold, she decided. She hadn't just done this for her entertainment, mind you. She had her reasons; which would become apparent later on. But then she remembered; she had much more meddling to do. She yawned heavily, and then teleported to the place she would wreak havoc next.

* * *

Greg grinned as he looked over the belt of Poke Balls in his bag. They contained Pokemon the Boss would absolutely love. A Vulpix, a Charmander, a Shinx, and a Cranidos. The payout would be worth the months spent in Sinnoh.

He sighed and looked out the window. He was still pissed that damn Turtwig had gotten away. _He _had wanted to be the one to finish her off, after all. Greg yawned and stretched; bumping the stomach of the excessively overweight male in the seat next to him. Disgusted by him; Greg looked over the rows to try and locate Raina. She was seated in the very front.

Her blue hair had been dyed red for identification reasons. She slept like a rock; her guards dressed like tourists, and sitting on either side of her. Lucky bitch.

Greg was thrown from his thoughts as the aircraft experienced turbulence. After steadying himself on the half of the arm rest the obese man's stomach didn't cover; he grumbled to himself. He had been allowed to hold on to the loot; but had been forced to sit by this incompetent lump of blubber. The man moaned in his sleep, and then fell silent once again; head resting on one of his multiple chins.

Feeling the urge to get sick; Greg rose from his seat and sauntered to the back. He opened the curtains to the back room and stopped dead in his tracks.

Standing there before him was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Her skin was pale and fair. She was perfectly proportioned; and exquisitely gorgeous. Her eyes were the purest sapphire; sparkling with mischief. She wore what looked like eye-liner around her eyes so thick; they looks like black raccoon rings. Her hair was sun-bleached blonde; with blue and green streaks in it. Her playful demeanor, coupled with her fanatical looks, made Greg tingle.

She smiled at him in a severely provocative manner; and motioned for him to follow her. He dreamily complied; following her behind the curtains. To the staff lounge. It consisted of a tiny wet-bar, and a tiny sofa. She motioned for him to lie down. He eagerly did just that. She seductively began unbuttoning his shirt; though she did it standing up. Greg was in shock. She left the last button done up; and then stood back; giggling. Greg quickly undressed himself; and then lay there on the sofa, nude.

"I must be dreaming," said Greg in an excited voice as she went to the door and locked it.

What he didn't see was the wall of light she made on the opposite side of the door; making it soundproof. She turned to him.

_"Oh believe me, babe,"_ she began.

His eyes widened as her eyes began to glow, and many dagger-sharp leaves rose on either side of her.

_"This is very, very real." _

He screamed as the Magical Leaf attack assaulted him. A sound that was lost in the wall of light. A blood-curdling scream rung out as Greg looked down.

Celebi used Recover on him; keeping him from dying from blood loss, though she made sure the excruciating pain still lingered. She had accomplished what she came to do. She flicked the lock on the door, and grabbed the belt containing three Poke Balls. Then, for good measure; she fired a Shadow Ball at his clothes. She giggled as she did it. _That_ would certainly make it hilarious.

As she headed for the door; still in human form, a voice stopped her.

"Why?"

She turned; eyes venomous and cut-throat. _"What did you just ask me, boy?"_

Greg looked down, and then back to her again. "Why did you do this to me!? I-I've never done anything to you!"

Celebi's eyes burned with intense hate.

_"You are a sick, perverted little boy who tortured a defenseless Pokemon, and you have the nerve to ask why I did this to you!?" _she screamed.

He cowered; and winced in pain. She dropped the belt and walked over to him. He covered his head with his arms; though he peered at her from behind his fingers. Dark purple blobs of energy grew large in her slender hands. He cried out a single squeak as she held them inches from his exposed face.

_"I let you live today, child. Next time; you will not be so lucky." _

She fired the Shadow Balls at the wall; leaving giant holes inches above his head. Then; she snatched the belt up and opened the window. She winked at the petrified young boy; and promptly dove out the window. Despite his pain; Greg ran to the window. The mysterious woman seemed amazingly calm as she dove through the clouds. When she disappeared from view; he began to cry. He hadn't been alone five minutes when the door burst open.

"Uh… Greg? Am I interrupting something?" asked Raina; nose wrinkled up in disgust at the full moon.

He turned to face her; crying like a baby.

"Gah!" she cried; jumping back a foot.

"Greg; has your winkie always been so… non-existent?"

* * *

Celebi drifted in the sky; pleased with her handiwork. The belt dangled in her grasp. She had switched back to Pokemon form when she was out of sight. Her tiny little wings allowed her to hover as she gathered her surroundings in the thick clouds. She had floated over Johto. She wanted Kanto. She had reached the mountain range separating the two regions when she heard a mighty roar behind her.

She craned her neck backwards to see where the noise came from. A large, white creature with a golden frame around it's stomach barreled towards her. She dove; the downward spiral momentarily protecting her from the assault of Hyper Beams he fired.

_"Arceus! What are you doing-" _

_"STOP YOUR MEDDLING, CELEBI! YOU WILL HAVE HELL TO PAY! GIVE ME THE BELT!"_

Celebi cringed as the booming voice shattered her ear drum. Desperately, she looked down at the belt in her hand. Her eyes glowed blue; and the belt disappeared from her fist; teleported. She then turned to face the angered monster that hovered overhead.

_"Alright you cocky, belligerent, glorified overgrown reindeer," _she growled; forming dark purple blobs in her tiny fists._"Let's dance."_

* * *

**A/N: I know the middle part was a bit... gruesome; but I thought castration was a fitting punishment for our demonic little pervert. Perhaps I was too harsh...?**

**Nah. Raina will get hers; but not from Celebi and not anytime soon.**

**Now be a good reader and click the button below to review this story. Or the next chapter won't come. **

**Just kidding. I wouldn't hold my story hostage. I'd write if no one reviewed... but, seriously! They make my day (:**

**Enough babbling. Thanks for reading LITM. Have a great day!!!**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**

* * *


	24. New Aquaintances and Reprimand

**A/N: Wow... you guys are amazing! Thanks for all the reviews! They make me soooooo happy.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four

New Acquaintances and Reprimand

"Ouch! Stop biting me, Thunder!" squealed a tiny Eevee kit.

He latched onto her tail harder. "No way, Crystal! Not after you pounced on me like that!"

The two growled at one another in a manner meant to be ferocious. Soon the other Eevee kits joined in.

All named after what their parents decided they would grow up to be; there were six kits in all.

Thunder; the aggressive one and future Jolteon.

Crystal; the prissy future Espeon.

Mist; the whiny future Glaceon.

Night; the calm and placid future Umbreon.

Olive; the bratty and hateful future Leafeon.

And then; there was Kit; the runt. Kit was the one they all rejected. Never wanted to play with. The loner. Kit was to stay an Eevee until she decided what to do.

While the other Eevee romped and played; Kit was off alone. She was in the shadows; practicing her moves. So in other words; she was tackling a small Pecha berry tree repetitively.

She stopped when two berries tumbled down. Exhausted from all her hard work at training; she gobbled down the fruit eagerly.

"What, not planning on sharing with your family?"

Kit jumped nearly a foot in the air and hissed as she saw Olive towering over her. She silently cursed her under-developed instincts for not detecting her 'sisters' presence.

"Actually, _Olive_, I was planning on getting more and sharing with mom and dad. Not _you_," Kit spat.

Olive's brown eyes narrowed dangerously. She swiftly whacked Kit with her paw; sending her hard into the ground. Although Kit constantly attempted to improve her skills; she was easily defeated by her older sister.

Olive snickered, and then stalked off. Kit shook herself; and then licked her side where she knew she was bruised beneath her snowy white fur.

"Are you okay?" asked a tentative voice from the shadows of the forest beyond the Pecha berry tree.

Kit was startled; but when she saw the soft eyes that belonged to the voice; she calmed down.

"Yeah… I am. Thanks."

The creature timidly stepped out; and then fell flat on his face; which could just as easily be considered his stomach; they were so close in vicinity.

Kit giggled uncontrollably.

He sat up on his ringed tail and looked around nervously. When he was certain the area was secure, he let out a breath of relief and returned to his two tiny paws.

Kit stared at him. He looked around as if to see what she was staring at, and then came to his realization.

"W-Why are you st-staring at?" he stuttered nervously.

She smiled. "I just… didn't expect to see a Sentret here in Sinnoh. That's all."

He scratched the back of his neck. "Actually; we're native to Johto. I came from a breeder."

She raised an eyebrow inquisitively; but decided not to push the matter further. Today.

"So… do you have a name?" asked the Sentret; his rabbit-like ears twitching nervously.

Kit was taken aback by his intent paranoia. She wondered which name to tell him. _This is a new life; a new beginning. Might as well keep the new name. The old one won't restore me; after all._

"The name's Kit," she said; extending her paw. He eyed her warily; and then relaxed a bit. He wrapped his ringed-tail around her paw and shook it firmly.

"Call me Manny."

* * *

Celebi stared dejectedly at the floor.

"You nearly _killed_ him, Celebi! _Killed him_!" Mew ranted. "No matter how much of an asshole he is; you can't _kill_ him. Every legendary was created for a reason-"

"But I didn't," protested Celebi, "Kill him, that is. He's still breathing, right?"

Mew eyed her cousin dangerously. "Don't push it. You know what I mean."

"I'm sorry," mumbled Celebi like a child being lectured.

Mew sighed. "How did you manage to beat the shit out of a legendary a hundred times your size, anyway?"

Celebi perked up instantly. "That's easy! I just-"

Mew held up a paw; indicating her cousin not to explain. "That was strictly a rhetorical question."

Celebi looked uncertain. "So… you don't want to hear about the fight?"

Mew sighed exasperatedly. "…No."

Celebi rolled her eyes and sighed.

"You do realize," began Mew in a quiet voice, "this means the Sinnoh Region legendaries will possibly revolt."

Celebi ducked her head. "What was I supposed to do? He attacked me for no reason! Why does Arceus even care that I took the belt from Greg?" said Celebi innocently.

Mew glared threateningly. "You know good and well castrating a 12 year-old does not classify as simply 'meddling'. I did _not_ have that in mind when I agreed for you to do this."

Celebi hung her head once again.

Mew looked at her sheepishly. "So, tell me, cousin. You _actually_ saw a human naked?"

Celebi shuddered. "Yeah. And I'm scarred for life."

Mew grimaced. "That bad?"

A dramatic nod confirmed her suspicions.

"Perhaps you've learned your lesson then… Fine. I won't punish you severely. But I hope that image haunts you for the rest of your exceedingly long life."

Celebi looked up hopefully. "Couldn't you just erase my memory and throw things at me instead?"

Mew looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Err… no. This will be much more entertaining."

* * *

The tiny bird stared at the crazy Turtwig apprehensively. She must not want to eat him; she would have devoured him already. Instead; she was screaming profanities he had never heard before at the treetops… or the sky. He couldn't figure out which.

Shelley paused from her Celebi bashing when she noticed the Natu from before; staring at her with his head cocked to the side.

Suddenly; she was on the verge of tears. _She sends me the only bird Pokemon that can't fly!_

Intrigued by this insane Turtwig; he felt an unnatural urge to follow her. He tentatively hopped along behind her. He tried to ignore the deep, long crack along her dome-shaped back. He failed miserably.

Shelley noticed the Natu continued to follow her.

"What do you _want_?" she cried exasperatedly.

The Natu looked taken aback. "Can I… can I travel with you?" he asked timidly; tracing something in the soil with a tiny talon.

She wrinkled up her nose. "Uh… that was fucking random. And no."

Rejected; he sadly looked at the ground. Suddenly; he had an idea. He used his powers to read her mind. Getting an idea, he sighed sadly.

"Oh… okay, –sniffle- I guess I'll just have to live all by myself…"

He flapped his wings and was lifted off the ground; and made sure to fly directly in front of the Turtwig.

"Bye now," he said nonchalantly.

Shelley stared at him; mouth agape. When she came to her senses; she scrambled after him. "Hey! Wait up! How the fuck are you _doing_ that!?"

* * *

"Kit! Where were you!? We were worried _sick_," cried Willow; protectively wrapping her flame tail around her tiny daughter.

"_We?"_ snorted Thunder.

Olive, Crystal, and Mist snickered. Night was dead to the world; snoring in the corner of the den.

"She was out playing with her _boyfriend,"_ Mist informed her mother.

Orin; whom normally ignored the squabbling between his children; pricked up his ears.

"Kit? You have a boyfriend?"

The white-furred Eevee blushed. "No! Manny isn't my boyfriend!" she protested.

"Please tell me Manny is an Eon," moaned Willow.

She was not prejudiced against other types. She just didn't need her poor daughter to face more prejudice in the Eon community.

"Oh no, mommy. Even _better_! He's a _Sentret_!" squealed Olive; thrilled to rat out her sister.

Kit hissed irritably at her so-called sister. Thunder felt his commentary was necessary.

"Sentrets are ugly. And weak. You have _terrible _taste."

Kit furiously spat on the floor directly in front of him. Then; with an apologetic look shot her parents way, she set off to find her slightly paranoid best friend.

"Manny?" she called into the dark.

Kricketune sang their songs as the night breeze ruffled her fur. The Sentret poked his head out of the dark. "Hiya, Kit!"

Relief washed over the young Eevee. She was at ease around him. He hadn't even mentioned the fact she was shiny. If he could get over appearances to see the real her; she could do the same for him.

"Can I stay with you for a while? Not all night. I just need to leave the den before I lose my temper and try to Tackle one of them," she explained as she entered his burrow. Many tunnels connected large rooms to each other.

"And why would that be such a terrible thing?" asked Manny; chuckling.

He seemed so comfortable in his burrow. Kit couldn't help noticing this.

"If I attacked one of them; they would all gang up on me. Since I'm the runt… they're a lot stronger than me."

Manny looked thoughtful for a moment. "If I show you something… will you promise to keep it a secret?"

Kit's ears perked up. She immediately nodded; eager to know. She had always been that way. He grinned, and motioned for her to follow him. His round body blocked her view momentarily; though when he swiftly moved to the side her eyes bulged.

"Welcome to my horde," he said proudly.

* * *

**A/N: In case you haven't noticed; I haven't been writing from Shadow's point of view. Reason? As these events are occurring; Shadow, Wes, Grace, Anne, and Uno are traveling to Kanto by boat. These chapters are written to pass the time; since the boat-ride is filled with nothing but Shadow and Wes grieving. This is _much_ more interesting. And all of this has meaning in the future. **

**There will probably be one or two more chapters written in this form. Then Shadow will once again be the main focus. **

**Now; if you love LITM and want to make it's creator a happy little author; please be most kind and review. **

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	25. Release

**A/N: After all the reviews; I realized how lucky I am to have wonderful readers like yourselves. Thank you guys so much. You are the reason this story is continued. (Although I'd continue to write even if I had zero reviews)**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five

Release

"Simon? What kind of name is _that_?"

The Natu blushed. "Well; I was named after my father."

Shelley rolled her eyes. "So technically you're Simon Jr.?"

He shook his head. "Simon the III." She snickered.

They entered some shade and both fell silent. Simon and Shelley had been traveling together for two days. He had told her his mother was a Xatu and his father was a Noctowl. He had obviously come out of the egg a Natu; but his Noctowl genetics gave him slightly more developed wings. Thus; he could fly instead of being limited to hopping around.

Having no idea where they were going; they both had certain motives for traveling with the other. Simon was just happy to gain protection by hanging with the slightly schizophrenic Turtwig. Shelley had been lonely. And somehow… being with a flying type made her feel better. Or maybe it was the fact her abusive trainer was headed to Kanto.

They had casual conversation. Simon informed her he was petrified someone would eat him since he was so tiny. Shelley informed him there were no promises she wouldn't eat him.

He remained out of reach of her maw and the sharp beak that could snap him in half from then on out.

"So I told you about my fear, Shelley. Tell me about yours."

She froze; and shot him a nasty look. "None-of-your-fucking-business," she snarled.

The way it came out; it sounded as if it was one word. No matter; Simon got the picture.

"Okay… so is there anything you want to accomplish in life?"

Relieved to have a subject change; Shelley thoughtfully answered. "Well; first off, I never want to evolve."

Simon cocked his head to the side. "That's funny. Why ever not?"

She shook her head. "Tell me; would _you_ want to be a gigantic turtle that can't fit through doors and has a fucking _forest_ growing on your back?"

Simon nodded. "Okay, okay. You make a valid point."

Shelley began again. "The only other thing I can think of is… well, never mind. It's stupid."

Eager to befriend the psychotic Turtwig, he prodded. "Oh… it can't be that bad! I won't laugh. I promise."

The note of sincerity ringing through his voice coaxed her out of her shell. "I… I've always wanted to know what it's like to fly."

Simon smiled sheepishly. "I wonder what we can do about that…"

* * *

"Manny… where did you _get_ all these?" asked Kit; eyes wide.

Manny shrugged it off. "It's a little hobby of mine… that's all."

Kit raised an eyebrow. "_Little_ hobby?"

He blushed.

Kit walked into the dimly lit part of the burrow and walked past the many piles of TMs. The glittering metallic discs awed her in an unexplainable way.

"I've got multiples of common TMs… and all of the others except a few."

"How in the world do you tell them apart?" asked Kit; tentatively touching one with her paw.

When she touched it; an image flashed through her head of the attack. "That answer your question, Kit?"

She nodded happily. "That was Flamethrower! Can an Eevee learn that?"

The Sentret shook his head. "Not unless you come across a Fire Stone and become a Flareon," he said sarcastically.

"Well… what _can _an Eevee learn?"

Manny appeared thoughtful for a moment. Then; without warning, he dove into the mountain of TMs nearest to them and rummaged around. After a few minutes; he popped out and triumphantly held up five TMs.

"These five might be to your liking. They're the only fairly powerful moves an Eevee can learn."

Kit's heart fell. "Well; what are they, then?"

He named them off before handing each one to her.

"Let's see here… this one is Dig, that one there is Shadow Ball, this is Hidden Power, and that's Iron Tail."

She looked at the five TMs spread out before her. "Wait… so what's that one?"

Manny smiled. "Protect. It isn't technically an attack move; but it's useful for defense and if another Pokemon tackles your Protect bubble they bounce off and end up getting hurt."

Kit nearly drooled at them; but then corrected herself and politely thanked him for showing her. Manny raised an eyebrow.

"C'mon. You can't honestly tell me you don't want to know these moves! You'd be able to pound your siblings into the ground!"

"I didn't know if you were offering them to me or just showing me," said Kit simply.

He pushed the pile of TMs to her and she giggled with glee. "Which ones did you want to learn-"

"All of them! Right now!" she squealed excitedly.

Manny chuckled to himself. She was so darn cute. Even if she was a shiny. Shiny Pokemon were looked down upon; but hey, so were Sentrets. As these thoughts ran through his head, Manny absentmindedly placed each disc onto Kit's head and watched as they were absorbed into her. By the time the five had been learned; Kit was wobbling back and forth from exhaustion. Manny steadied her, and then helped her outside. Too tired to try them out; she thanked him profusely and stumbled home.

Tomorrow, she decided; she would begin training.

* * *

The Sneasel hastily collected berries that grew from the trees nearby. She was going to need all her strength; a storm was going to blow in soon. The chilly mountain air did not penetrate her fur; it was meant for these conditions. She did shiver, however, when she saw on odd object floating down the mountain stream. It was long and thin. There were three red and white spherical objects attached to it's back.

She hissed angrily; fearing this new Pokemon species that invaded her territory. The belt slowly slid across the rocks; dragging across the bottom of the shallow mountain stream. When the Sneasel realized it posed no threat; she nimbly leapt up the mountainside, and joined her mate in their cave. She snuggled down next to her beloved Weavile and fell asleep; quickly forgetting the odd-shaped Pokemon.

Many Pokemon eyes other than the Sneasel's warily followed the belt for the next two days; as it swiftly went down the mountainside. When it reached the bottom of the mountain; it became caught on a rock. The rushing water bashed against the belt; ramming one of the balls into the bank. The button had been pressed.

A yellow-orange lizard appeared; and immediately had her breath taken away by the icy water. Not only was is un-bearably cold; it caused intense pain. She screeched, and then held her tail out of the water as she scrambled onto the banks. She had just almost died. The first word out of her mouth?

"Fuck!"

As her tail's flame slowly began to rekindle; she realized two things. One; she wasn't in the flowery meadow anymore. Two; she was alone.

She frantically looked around; gathering her bearings.

_Okay, I was in the river… that's where my Poke Ball is! Maybe that's where Kelly is!_

She scrambled to the banks and saw Kelly's leather Poke Ball belt in the water; wedged between two rocks.

_Did she abandon us? And where's Shadow?_

She hesitated, and then plunged her fist into the icy waters. She gasped at the searing pain, and then tugged the belt until it came loose.

_At least Tyson and Kenya are with me. Now I won't be so lonely._

After recovering from her water-damage; she sat wearily on the bank and pressed the buttons on the capsules. Kenya appeared and wildly looked around. "Where's Kelly? Where are those mean men in black?"

It was then Claire's memory returned to her.

"Oh my Mew," she whispered. _This is not good. This is REALLY not good._

She frantically began pacing back and forth; trying to piece together what had occurred since they were recalled by Kelly that day in the meadow.

"Tyson has no idea why you is so upset. Would you like a cookie? They make everyone feel better; even Tyson!"

Claire shot him an icy stare. He took a step back and fell silent.

"Cookie? You have a cookie? Oh, oh, let me have it, _please_!" squealed Kenya.

"SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Kenya looked at Claire in shock; and was on the brink of tears. "Look, Kenya; Tyson is just a idiotic, shit-for-brains dinosaur. And he does not have a fucking cookie!" said Claire through gritted teeth.

"Tyson resembles that remark!" he protested.

"I think you meant _resent_, Tyson," corrected Kenya; already over Claire's outburst.

Claire took a deep breath to keep from strangling them. It would do no good to tell them they were lost. So; she decided not to.

"Actually Kenya; for the first time… I think he knows what he's talking about."

Tyson proudly puffed out his chest. Claire began walking in the opposite direction of the mountain.

"Where are we going?" asked Kenya as she bounded along beside the Charmander.

Claire sighed heavily. "I have no idea, Kenya. Anywhere away from the mountain."

"But I don't understand. Why did Kelly leave us? Where is my Uncle Shadow?" Her eyes welled up to the brim with tears at the mention of her beloved Poochyena.

"Once again. I have no idea," said Claire; the last sentence spoken slowly. As if to get a point across.

"So… Tyson wants to know where we're _really_ going," spoke the Cranidos; intentionally repeating Kenya's question to piss off the Charmander. Claire missed his arrogance though. The Charmander hid her slight fear with false confidence and a head held high.

"We're going back to Sinnoh."

* * *

**A/N: Ah... what a lovely tangled mess everyone is getting themselves into. But at least we know what came of Claire, Tyson, and Kenya!**

**How do Simon and Manny pull in, you might ask? They'll tie in eventually. But _how_ they tie in is for me to know and for you to not find out for a long time. (: Yes; i know I'm evil.**

**As for Shadow, Grace, Wes, Anne, and Uno; we catch up with them next chapter. Shadow's getting over his mopey mood; and next chapter will mostly be from his point of view.**

**Shelley will kill you if you don't review. So... please do! (:**

**Until next Chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	26. Elation

**A/N: Thank you to all who reviewed. This chapter is dedicated to you guys! (=**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six

Elation

"Shadow, how long are you going to hold on to that Poketch?"

I swiveled my head to look at Grace. It wasn't a snide comment; just simple question. The thought crossed my mind she might be sick... sincerity from her is rare.

"Kelly wanted this Poketch more than a lot of things. I'll let go when I'm ready… I guess."

She nodded and left it alone; which I was sincerely grateful for. The name Kelly was still getting to me a bit.

Poketch around my left foreleg, (courtesy of Uno) I silently padded along behind Wes. We were on the boardwalk in Vermilion City; having just left the ship a few minutes before. We finally reached land and Grace kissed the ground. She hates the ocean.

"Excuse me! Wait up, handsome!"

Wes turned to see a slightly erratic looking girl barrel towards him from the ship; luggage in tow. She stopped at the end of the boardwalk, and then dramatically panted to show she was tired from running that far. (Which in reality wasn't far at all)

"You look like a nice little trainer! And I am the best trainer here. We're going to battle!" she chirped; looking pleased with herself for challenging Wes.

He nonchalantly looked over his shoulder, and then jabbed his thumb into his chest. "You talking to me?"

She sighed exasperatedly. "Of _course_ I'm talking to _you_, handsome! So; what do ya say? Let's battle, shall we?"

He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see… how about… no."

And with that; he stalked off towards the train station that would take us to Viridian City. The persistent little bitch yelled after us again.

"Wait! I challenged you! You can't run off like some wimpy little scaredy-cat!"

Not the least bit egged on; Wes continued walking… until a jet of water knocked him off his feet. _That_ egged him on.

"Fine; I'll battle you. But try not to cry too hard when you fork over the forfeit money."

The girl and her trigger-happy Floatzel grinned deviously. They made the grassy area between the boating dock and the paved city streets their arena. A boy ran up to her.

"Chrissy! I thought I told you to find some sucker to battle us!"

She blushed and nodded Wes's way. Her clapped her on her back. "Boy you sure follow directions well. You _really_ got a sucker this time!"

Wes coolly took his spot across from the two; though I could tell he was holding his tongue.

"All Double battle rules apply! Let's do this!" yelled the boy.

Wes glared at Chrissy. "Nuh uh! I don't do double battles!"

"Looks like you're S-O-M-F-L, then, buddy!" she cried out; nasty smirk intact.

Grace glanced at me. "SOMFL?"

I rolled my eyes. "Idiot females and their abbreviations. You know how LOL is laugh out loud?"

She nodded.

"Well, SOMFL means 'shit-outta-mother-fuckin-luck'."

"Wow… do humans abbreviate _everything_?" asked Anne from behind us.

Grace rolled her eyes. "WTFK?"

I raised my eyebrows. Grace laughed and then kindly explained, "Who the fuck knows?"

In the meantime; Wes was beaten down by the rulebook. He _had _to battle Chrissy and her prick of a boyfriend.

"Choose your first two Pokemon," said the boy in a bored tone.

Wes looked at us all. "Grace, you're up. And… who else?"

Tired of being forced to watch simply because I was trainer-less; I trotted onto the field and deliberately sat down.

"Oh… okay. You can fight if you want, Shadow."

"Try not to let me down, okay, Poochy?" jeered Grace playfully. I growled in response.

"Flipper, it's all on you!" called out Chrissy to her stupid Floatzel.

"Come on out, Kierston!" yelled her counterpart.

A Skarmory appeared and shook her sharp silvery feathers; making a clanking sound.

"Grace, Flamethrower on the Skarmory. Shadow; use Thunder Fang on Floatzel," said Wes calmly.

"Kierston; Steel Wing on the Poochyena!" screamed the boy.

"Flipper; use Aqua Jet!"

Total mayhem broke out as we all attempted to follow orders. While Floatzel darted forward using Aqua Jet; he ran into me while I used Thunder Fang. Needless to say; he got the worse end of the deal. The Skarmory swooped down to use Steel Wing on me, but Grace; who was using Flamethrower, got in the way.

The Skarmory's attack did very little to Grace; though the Flamethrower she flew directly into made horrid blisters appear on the exposed parts between metal plates. Kierston screeched in pain; while Grace took her pain silently and I retreated unscathed. We leapt back to our respective trainers and faced off once again.

"Kierston, use Aerial Ace!"

"Flipper, Water Gun!"

"Dodge, you two. Then, Shadow Ball on Floatzel, Grace. Shadow; use Bite."

The Floatzel narrowly missed his target; the jet of water hitting the ground harmlessly. I connected with him and got in a short Bite before I was hit. The Skarmory agilely swooped in and sliced at me with her razor-sharp beak. I yelped in pain as a deep gash appeared on my side; and began bleeding profusely.

"Flipper; Aqua Jet!"

"Kierston, Flash Cannon!"

"Flamethrower, Grace! Shadow, Poison Fang!"

The Floatzel came straight for us. Since we were so close; Grace used me as a ramp; running and launching off my head much to my dismay. She agilely landed on top of the Skarmory and used Flamethrower; right as the silver bird fired a silver sphere of energy at me. The Skarmory went down hard; Grace on her back. They crashed; the dust cleared, and Grace rose victorious.

The boy from earlier reclaimed his Skarmory, and stomped off. Grace; weakened from the fall, had nearly no time to recover when she was blasted by a well-aimed Water Gun. She fell; out cold. Wes barely had time to scoop her up and use a Potion on her when the Floatzel barreled towards me; fangs bared.

I waited until he was almost upon me, and then executed the Poison Fang attack Wes had ordered. The otter-like Pokemon squealed in agony, and then turned and latched onto me; using Ice Fang. I yelped a little, and then managed to shake loose; panting heavily. My left side was aching and burning; dust having gotten in the deep cut. At least it had stopped bleeding temporarily.

"Flipper, finish this. Use Aqua Jet."

"Shadow… try to dodge, and then use Thunder Fang," said Wes; not confident in the least.

"You're going down, pup," snarled the Floatzel.

I used Howl; the eerie sound visibly sending shivers down his spine. A blue aura surrounded the otter; and then he charged at me at break-neck pace. I gritted my teeth and waited; I was going to take the hit. I wouldn't be close enough to attack if I didn't.

"Shadow! Get out of the way!" ordered Wes from the sidelines.

The full body-weight of the Floatzel hit me in my bleeding side; sending us careening head over heels. I administered a spot-on Thunder Fang; and we separated. My legs nearly gave out from beneath me. Black spots clouded the field; one more hit and I was finished.

The Floatzel grinned at me in a menacing way, and then collapsed before me; completely KO'd… from poisoning.

Chrissy angrily recalled her defeated Floatzel and crammed the forfeit money into Wes's hand. I should have felt good; having won and all. But I felt like I was dying. Could I be doing just that, perhaps?

The gash had begun bleeding again… I crumpled to the ground; going completely numb. I faintly heard Wes calling my name.

The next thing I knew; I was back on my feet. My… much, much bigger feet. I whirled around; my eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell sharply heightened. My snout had grown out longer. I felt immense power emanating from my inner being. My soft baby fur had morphed into tufts of raven-black, waterproof fur.

I had evolved. Isn't it amazing how the body heals itself?

"Shadow… I can't believe it! Way to go!" said Wes; the grin on his face showing he meant it.

A minute from then; I had felt I was dying. But after my evolution… all I felt was elation.

* * *

"This is _so_ not working," grumbled a disgruntled Shelley.

"Hey; I'm trying my best! Maybe you should lay off the Pecha berries."

Simon was flung from the Turtwig's headleaf and she opened her mouth; snapping much like a snapping turtle.

"Gah! Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I'm just a tiny, weak bird! Don't eat me!!"

She licked her chops just to watch him tremble. "Don't call me fat and I won't fucking eat you, Simon."

She continued walking; heartbroken. Simon had _tried_ to help her. She had to give him that. He had been trying all morning to lift her into the sky; but to no avail. Although his wings allowed _him_ to be supported in air; he couldn't carry much else weight. Perhaps she would never be airborne.

"Stupid Natu genetics. What kind of fucked up being creates a bird species that _can't_ fly!?" she mumbled under her breath.

"Who are you talking to?" asked Simon from behind her.

"Mind your own damn business, Simon. Aren't you supposed to be staring at the sun or something?"

The Natu hopped along happily beside her; glad for the return of conversation. "Nah. Just because all other Natu stare at the sun all day; doesn't mean I need to. Noctowl are nocturnal, remember? They cancel each other out, I suppose."

They plodded along in silence for a while longer; heading nowhere in particular. Shelley mulling over the idea of shoving the Natu in her mouth, and then spitting him out; just for kicks. Simon trying to come up with some way to help his troubled new friend.

"Wait, I got it!" he chirped.

Shelley turned to face him. "What have you got? A boyfriend? New shoes? Herpes?" she said; eyes sparkling in an amused way.

The Natu raised an eyebrow. "…_No_, I was _going_ to say, an idea."

"Oh," she said flippantly; earning a smirk from her tiny new friend.

"Let's try this one more time, okay?" he asked.

He hopped onto her head and wrapped his tiny talons around the twig that held twin leaves. She shook her head fervently; trying to get him off.

"No way! You just want a fucking ride; ya lazy little nitwit!"

He sighed and held on until she held still. "I _said_ I had an idea, Shelley! Just let me hold on, okay?"

She sighed heavily and complied; though she was entirely doubtful. Simon sat there for a moment; focusing on the sun, and then his eyes glowed bright blue. Shelley and Simon were encased in a blue glow; and then he began flapping. They slowly rose from the ground; and were finally airborne.

The blue aura faded; though Simon's eyes still glowed.

"Simon! You did it! I'm _flying!_" squealed the Turtwig; absolutely elated.

The Natu felt pure joy rush through him. He had finally given her what she wanted. Exhilarated; they did downward spirals, flips, and sharp turns; Shelley giggling like a young schoolgirl. When Simon grew tired from sustaining Psychic; he gradually descended back into the forest. Panting; he and Shelley collapsed onto the forest floor.

"That… was so… AWESOME!" squealed Shelley between gasps for breath.

She ran to Simon and licked his cheek. He blushed profusely; eyes sparkling happily.

They spoke no more the rest of the day; relishing the experience they had shared together.

* * *

**A/N: Yay, Shadow evolved! (: And I even added some fluff between Simon and Shelley. What a happy chapter.**

**I have to admit; the battle scene was fairly lame. Writing about double battles is obviously not my thing.**

**Remember; review! Better not incur the wrath of a review-hungry, schizophrenic, flying Turtwig! (:**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	27. Moonlit Negotiation

**A/N: *Yawn* I sure do hate fillers. That's why this chappie is short. Although I am apologetic; I hope you enjoy a Celebi-centric filler; and I'll be waiting for you at the end of the chapter with some good news to cheer you up... (:**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Moonlit Negotiation

Celebi darted behind a tree; panting. She heard an enraged howl behind her, so she kept flying. The Houndoom pack was in hot pursuit. They had been ordered by their leader to keep away intruders at any cost.

When Celebi entered the clearing that held a small cave; the Houndoom fled; fearing what lurked in the shadows there. Celebi brushed off her shoulder and made herself presentable. She straightened her antennae, and then gulped nervously before slowly proceeding to the cave. Her eyes cautiously grazed the sky; fearing Arceus would notice her presence in Sinnoh. Or, perhaps; he would send Palkia and Dialga to kill her off.

_"Who dares interrupt my sleep?"_ came a sinister voice from the mouth of the cave.

A single blue eye gleamed out at her; the other covered by a lock of white hair.

_"It is I; Celebi of Johto. I have come to ask a favor of you," _she explained; voice unwavering.

The legendary in question slipped silently out of the shadows to face her. _"Certainly you know you are banished from Sinnoh? If I am seen helping you in your fiendish plots; I too will be forced from my home. I have no affiliation to you," _he said firmly; unnerving the green fairy even more.

_"Please; hear me out, Darkrai. Hopefully I shall find favor in your eyes," _she said smoothly as she bowed low.

_I'm so desperate. If I had to speak so formal all the time; I'd feed myself to those wretched Houndoom, _thought Celebi to herself.

_What could I possibly do for Celebi? Her cousin is the ultimate goddess! The only thing I am capable of is bestowing nightmares on innocent people. _

He eyed her suspiciously, and then bowed lower than she had. _"I also, however, claim no affiliation to Arceus. I do as I please; and he finds much less favor in my eyes than yourself. You may enter." _

He disappeared into the cave once more; and Celebi followed.

_"Now, Celebi. What can I do for you?"_

_"As all the legendaries know by now; I've become especially fond of a mortal. A reborn Pokemon." _

She paused to make sure he was following. His piercing gaze hadn't left her soft sapphire eyes. She continued to explain about everything that had occurred; from Kelly's death to the separation of Daniel from his Pokemon friends.

_"Now; I need a subtle way to give them directions. I went to Cresselia; but…" _

_"She's a selfish, bitchy, psychic swan who is undyingly loyal to Arceus," _finished Darkrai; a faint smirk plastered onto his face.

Celebi raised an eyebrow. _"Brilliant description. I'm assuming you aren't fond of your counterpart?" _

He grimaced. _"As fond as I am of rainbows and lollipops." _

She giggled; and he remembered his professionalism. _"So… I being the nightmare-giver; I assume you want me to instill and nightmare telling them to go to Kanto?" _

Celebi nodded. _"It would mean a lot to me if you did. This boy reminds me of… someone I once loved. Since they hired Pokemon Rangers for Ilex Forest… my duty as 'Guardian of the Forest' is not needed much. All I want is for Daniel to be happy." _

Darkrai appeared thoughtful for a moment; then nodded his approval. _"I suppose I could whip something up. You do realize; if Arceus finds out… he'll try and kill me, right?" _

Celebi stiffened. _"Really? Well; never mind then, Darkrai. This is my problem; not yours. I won't have you dying over-" _

_"I said 'try', Celebi. Arceus is only one Pokemon. I've made up my mind. If he wants to deal with me… so be it." _He smiled. _"Perhaps this will make my dull existence a bit more interesting, eh?" _

She shook her head; refusing to endanger him; but he chuckled and pointed for her to leave his cave. She had an apologetic look on her face as she said farewell; but he was content. He hadn't had a single visitor in a decade.

Smiling to himself; he went back to what he did every day; pondering the world. When night fell; he would have to set to work. How he loathed his job.

* * *

Celebi reluctantly floated away from New Moon Island. The Houndoom pack lowered themselves to the ground in respect to her; their master had been pleased with her presence; so that meant she was of some signifigance; and not to be toyed with.

Celebi lingered in the thick night air, and then grabbed a stick about two inches in diameter from the forest floor. She carried it to a high branch overlooking the Houndoom pack. They watched her in high interest.

She skillfully fired tiny versions of Energy Ball at the wood; whittling away at it tediously. When she had formed the stick into a dainty flute; she sprinkled her fairy dust over it; and then bonded it to her mentally using Psychic. When she had completed her masterpiece; she was exhausted.

_"Tell me, Houndoom of New Moon Island. Can any one of you play a flute?" _

She had to speak formally. To unnerve them.

Houndoom from New Moon Island were nearly twice the size of normal Houndoom. They were one of the few species that dare live on the island.

The largest of the mutant Houndoom stepped forward, and then bowed low. "First of all, Madame Celebi; I would ask that you forgive us for our atrocious behavior. We were only following orders, Madame. My name is Shadowflame; and I am the leader of New Moon's pack."

The pack behind him followed his act; flattening themselves to show submission. Celebi was grateful for the perpetual darkness that loomed over the island; lest they see her blush.

_"You are forgiven, Shadowflame. Just… er, don't let it happen again," _she said; mentally kicking herself for stuttering.

"Your mercy is unending, Madame. Unfortunately; none of us possess the ability to play this 'flute' you speak of. Perhaps because we lack hands?"

Celebi flinched at the harsh sarcasm.

"However; there is a lonely old Dusclops named Neosho. He lives on the rock crevice overlooking Master Darkrai's cave. He can play the flute."

Celebi sighed with relief. _"Shadowflame; I entrust you with this flute to give to Neosho. Tell him to never play it. Unless… unless Darkrai is ever ambushed." _

Although an asshole; Shadowflame knew how to follow orders. He gently grabbed the flute in his teeth, and howled. His pack obediently followed; eyeing the grass-fairy warily as they sped to the crevice.

Celebi sighed; tired from her day on the depressing island. But… there was one more thing she wanted to do.

She fluttered down to the jungle floor; and gently grazed the ground with a green finger. Then; she teleported to her home in Ilex Forest, and settled down for the sight in a hollowed tree; the sounds of Kricketune's songs lulling her to sleep.

* * *

Back on New Moon Island; a green sprout shot out of the ground. The protective leaves unfurled; exposing a tender, sapphire colored bud. As the moonlight streamed down onto the magical plant; the bud opened; exposing the blue petals with ruby colored tips. The golden center of the bloom was caught by the night wind; and tiny, fuzzy seeds blew; spreading all over the island.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry if this chapter dissapoints. But it had to be written. Now; for the good news.**

**LITM Chronicles is now officially published; first one-shot complete. Please Review on that, and thanks in advance. (:**

**As for this filler chapter... meh. Review if you feel the need; but for once I understand if you don't want to.**

**(Don't worry; this isn't a trap. Shelley won't kill you over it; she's out flying tonight)**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	28. Devotion

**A/N: Hello again, dear readers. I want to let you know that after Chapter 30; updates will be at most once a week; because school is starting up and between cross-country and keeping my grades up; LITM will no longer be a top priority. But for those who may be wondering- LITM will NOT be discontinued. Even if i haven't updated in three weeks- this story is my baby and I'll MAKE time for it. Anyways; enough rambling. Please enjoy my latest installment.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Devotion

"Are we there yet?" I barked to Grace.

She was laying on Wes's lap; pretending to be asleep. The train ride was rough; and she was carsick.

"Are we there yet?" I repeated; taking great joy in pestering her.

"Shadow, ask that question one more time and I will fucking puke on your head."

I reluctantly fell silent. Wes sighed and banged his head against the window. "Come _on._ Are we there yet!?"

She frumpily shot a tiny ember that ignited on his pant leg; dangerously close to his lap. "Gah! Grace, what did I ever do to you!?"

She moaned in response whilst he frantically smacked himself near his crotch; attempting to put out the tiny flame. This earned many stares from the surroundinig people; who murmured amongst themselves. I sniggered uncontrollably. You have to admit; if you didn't know what he was doing; you would be _totally_ freaked out by it.

The PA sounded overhead. At last; we were in Viridian. My heart lurched into my throat; making me increasingly uncomfortable. You could say I had a few reasons for feeling like I was going to wet my fur.

The rickety old train pulled to a complete stop; and I peered out the window; trying to catch a glimpse of Leah Walsch. Even with my improved eyesight; I couldn't distinguish one person from another; they were so tightly packed in the reception line.

"Well," sighed Wes heavily, "let's do this, shall we?"

Realizing I didn't particularly want to leave Wes, Grace, Anne, and Uno; I hesitated and whimpered. Wes firmly pushed me into the aisle; and I growled a bit; before trudging towards the double doors of the train. We stepped off and I immediately wished I was back in Sinnoh.

The hot, humid, Kanto air clung to my fur and face; suffocating me. The breeze was dead. Grace; used to being hot, was laughing at me as I wheezed; trying to become accustomed to the sweltering, muggy climate.

"How come… it wasn't like this… in Vermilion?" I asked between gasps for breath.

"We were by the sea then. It's cooler there. But we're far from the sea now, buddy boy."

"I officially hate Kanto with a passion," I grumbled as we followed Wes who wove through the crowd.

When he stopped; I collided with the back of his leg. "Are you L-Leah Walsch?" he asked in a shaky voice. I froze.

"I am. I presume you are Weston Greene? I received a letter from you following my sister's death."

Her voice was… Kelly. That's the only way I can describe it, dear reader. She sounded just like her sister.

I frantically was peering out from behind Wes's legs; trying to get a view of my new master. But with so many people milling around us; every time I stuck my head out I ended up getting kneed in the face. Next thing I knew; we were following Wes; winding through the crowd once again. We came to a clearing; and I finally faced Leah for the first time.

Kelly was pretty; mind you. But this child was… strikingly beautiful.

Her coffee-colored dark brown hair hung perfectly curled; her cheeks pink and rosy. She had smooth, olive skin; clear blue-grey eyes, and a slightly turned up nose. She was small; looking much younger than her actual age. She had a tinge of sadness in her voice as she knelt down and held out her hand.

"Hello there, fella. My name is Leah."

I eagerly strode over to her and licked her cheek; not wanting her to cry. She smiled softly, and then kissed my nose.

"You certainly have grown since Kelly last told me about you, Shadow. You're much more handsome than she described."

If my silvery grey fur hadn't covered my muzzle; she would have seen her first Mightyena blushing. She looked up to Wes; admiration in her eyes.

"Thank you so much, Weston. It means a lot to me… to own my sister's starter. And that you traveled so far to give him to me. Kelly was lucky to know a guy like you."

He smiled wistfully, and then shook her hand.

I whimpered when I looked at Grace. I had become quite fond of her. And then; just like everything else I had become attached to; she was being torn away from me.

She eyed me, and then spoke softly. "Don't fret, Shadow. Wes has no intention of leaving Kanto so quickly. I have a feeling we'll be meeting again soon."

She brushed up against me; her warm fur sending a shiver down my spine. Then; she turned and followed her master down the road.

"This is awkward, Shadow," said Leah; rubbing the back of her neck. "You were close to my sister; and now you're stuck here in Kanto with me. I hope you don't hate me for that," she whispered.

I looked her straight in the eyes; deciding then and there I would devote my life to her.

"Leah; you are the flesh and blood of the one I loved. I promise; nothing will ever harm you as long as I'm around. I swear; I'll defend you with my life."

Realizing she hadn't understood a word I just said; I licked her cheek and wagged my tail.

"Thanks, Shadow," she whispered; face buried in my thick mane of black fur. She didn't let go until my shaggy fur coat was drenched with salty tears.

* * *

Kit stalked through Eon Meadow; the center of the Eon Community. Snickers came from all around; and many range attacks were launched at her. She dodged an Ember attack, and then retaliated by firing a Shadow Ball at her assailant. It was easily dodged, however, and she continued on; head hung low. She was at the end of the line of her 'family'.

Orin was in the front; proudly leading. Willow followed close behind; worriedly making sure her children were kept in line. Next came Mist; whom had only recently returned from Snowpoint City. She was now a beautiful Glaceon; and proud as a peacock. Then came Thunder; a newly evolved Jolteon. Then Night and Crystal; both having evolved into Espeon and Umbreon respectively. Olive followed behind them; beaming with delight. The family procession was in her honor; they were heading to Eterna Forest that day to evolve her into a Leafeon. She was jubilantly humming and prancing along; basking in her glory.

Kit tried hard to ignore her vibrant and bitchy older sister. Instead; she scanned the crowd of Eeveelutions for a familiar face. A flash of brown and white popped up from behind the crowd and shot her the peace sign. Her eyes danced with excitement. He had come.

She could hear him follow her to Eterna Forest; and then hide when her father began speaking.

"Alright, kiddos. As you know; today is the day Olive will evolve into a Leafeon. Mom and I will be going with Olive to find Moss Rock. Night and Crystal; you two stick together, and Thunder, Mist, and Kit; you three will have to travel together. You can't travel alone in Eterna Forest, kids. It's much too dangerous. Make sure you stay with your group, okay?"

All of his children nodded sweetly except for Kit; who stared off into space pointedly.

Willow, Orin, and Olive headed off in one direction; beginning their search for the hard to find rock. Night and Crystal headed in the opposite direction. Kit glared at her two older, more powerful siblings. Mist glanced at her brother; and he nodded. Mist blew Icy Wind and froze her sister's paws to the ground. Kit didn't struggle; knowing she couldn't break out of the ice encasing her paws. Instead; she growled deep in her throat, and fired a Shadow Ball at Mist. Mist easily dodged; but Thunder didn't see it until it hit him square in the face. He hissed at her; and then used Thundershock. Kit squealed as the electricity flowed through her.

Suddenly; a scorching hot jet of flames came from behind her; going over her head and singing the fur of her siblings. Critically injured; Mist crawled away; yelping in pain. Thunder followed suit; running as fast as he could away from the fire-breather.

"You okay?" asked Manny as he promptly used Brick Break on the ice holding her in place.

She shivered and nuzzled him in thanks; since she had no arms to hug him with. The Sentret blushed, and then sighed.

"So you knew this would happen, eh? That's why you invited me along?"

Kit nodded. "I would have invited you anyways. But it helps you happen to have an extremely wide range of attacks."

He smiled proudly, and then nervously glanced around. "You know; I'm taking a big, big risk being out here. Sentret are natural prey to the predators lurking around here."

They walked aimlessly around for awhile; Manny to be sure they weren't being followed, and Kit for the simple enjoyment of his presence and her siblings absence.

"You're not very talkative today, Kit. What's bugging you?" asked Manny from above her; perched on his tail.

She sighed. "I just… I just don't know what I want to evolve into. I've ruled out Espeon and Umbreon; you have to have sustained happiness all day or all night for that. I'm too pessimistic for that. As for evolving as a Leafeon or Glaceon… Mist and Olive would literally kill me. And all of the evolution stones in the Eon Community are guarded by the elders."

Manny raised a bushy eyebrow. "Wow. Sounds like a tough place to live."

Kit rolled her eyes. "You have _no_ idea. The elders killed a Spinarak that strayed in last week. It's strictly Eeveelutions only."

His eyes widened in horror. "Now _that_ is going overboard."

His ears flicked, and then he hefted himself up on his tail. "Kit…"

She shook her head; marveling at his intense fear of everything. "What is it now, Manny?" she asked flatly.

A Pokemon swiftly jumped out and faced them; the ruby red bubble on it's throat slowly inflating and deflating. "Hello, little morsels. It's time for my afternoon snack."

Kit gulped and stared; wide-eyed at the gigantic Toxicroak standing before them. Manny; violently shaking all over, stepped in front of Kit and glowed white. Kit stared in amazement as her best friend evolved before her own eyes. When his transformation was complete, his sleek body had quit trembling; and he stood tall and proud; ready to defend the Eevee behind him.

"You will NOT hurt her," growled the Furret firmly.

The Toxicroak grinned deviously. "This should be interesting," he chuckled.

* * *

**A/N: Yes- I do realize that Toxicroak are not traditionally found in Eterna Forest. But I figured it would be sort of... anti-climatic if a menacing Wurmple jumped out of the bushes and threatened to eat them. So; for those nit-picky readers out there who are against this; let's just pretend this Toxicroak is a rogue that was dumped by his trainer. M'kay? (:**

**And as always; PLEASE REVIEW! (: Or else Shelley will probably eat you. And because Simon Says. (:**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	29. Reputation

**A/N: I have nothing to say before this chapter... surprising, huh? XD**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Reputation

_Running. An evil force followed her. Run. That was all she could do. Run away from Mew knows what. She ran circles through the dense, wet forest that was Sinnoh. That much she knew. Run, run, run. A blue eye flashed somewhere up ahead; and she ran towards it; screaming incoherently; demanding answers in a language even she herself could not comprehend. She skidded to a halt; on the edge of a cliff. The land just beyond her reach lingered before her; taunting her. The land was sweltering hot; but the land was filled with wings; randomly fluttering around. She watched as a Rattata touched a pair of wings; and they attached themselves to it's back. It began flying in the mystical hot world; while she was being chased in her cold land of Sinnoh. The blue eye flashed again; and this time she saw a hint of white around it. Petrified; she leapt over the edge; and plummeted for what seemed like hours; into an intense light…_

Shelley awoke in a cold sweat; panting heavily. Remembering her nightmare; she ran to the tiny green lump that was peacefully sleeping, oblivious to her nightmare. She grabbed the Natu by the feather attached to his head and shook him violently.

"WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!"

Simon screeched. "Gah! Don't eat me! I'm AWAKE!"

Shelley let go of her grip on him and he nervously fluttered a few feet away. "Jeez; what is wrong wi-"

"Quick, Simon; what is the absolute hottest place you can think of in this fucking world?" she asked; eyes burning with question.

The Natu took a step back and stammered. "Uh… Kanto? Why do you need to know this in the mid-"

He was cut off as she wrapped her vines around him.

"Okay then; get your shit together. We're going to Kanto."

She shook him to prove her point, and then set off down the path. Not fully awake; the Natu unruffled his green feathers and called after his erratic friend.

"Wait; you mean now?"

"Yes _now_, you idiotic, pathetic excuse for a bird! Now let's _go_!"

She began trudging along; and he hopped along behind her.

"…You do realize; Kanto is _that_ way," said Simon; gesturing with an outstretched wing.

She abruptly turned and began walking in the direction he had shown her. He sighed as the vines wrapped around him and he was drug along behind his slightly psychotic friend.

"…Grass Types."

* * *

Claire wished now more than ever that she could read. Human 'letters' were just entirely too complicated for her.

"Why is Claire staring at wooden thingy with strange markings?"

The yellow-orange Charmander sighed heavily. "Tyson, I swear; you need to stop speaking third-person. Really. Before I rip your tongue out and skip rope with it."

"Skip rope? I _love_ skip rope! Can we play it? Please, Claire? Can we?" piped up a certain Shinx.

The Charmander shut her eyes tightly and pretended they would explode if she wasn't nice. Then again… perhaps it was a fair trade.

A moment of satisfaction for her vision…

She pondered this as they continued their trek; forgetting the sign that read 'Route 22'.

* * *

"So I think we'll stay in Viridian City for a few days; just to get acquainted and maybe train a little for the first Gym. No need to rush things; we've started too late in the year to challenge the League anyway."

Leah and I were walking back to the Pokemon Center. I carefully eyed the Kanto residents. They were all staring at me in pure fear. Leah noticed my fur had bristled and whispered,

"They're apprehensive about you, Shadow. Mightyena are notorious for killing off defenseless Pokemon and trainers around here. Trainers with a Mightyena are frowned upon. So please; be on your best behavior."

No sooner than she had finished explaining; a little girl no older than four escaped the protective arms of her mother and scrambled over to us, giggling about a 'puppy'. Her mother began screaming; crying and fearing for her child's life.

The little girl yanked my fur and I heard Leah suck in her breath. I grunted; but restrained myself from growling at her. She giggled and tugged on my ear. The mother continued screaming; but the young child was undeterred. She kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly; and in return, I licked her cheek. Leah and I had attracted quite a crowd.

"Horsey ride, horsey ride!" chanted the girl.

Her mother; too petrified of me to retrieve her child, broke down sobbing uncontrollably. Leah raised an eyebrow; not knowing how I would react. I lowered myself to the ground; allowing her scramble onto my back. She giggled the entire way over to her mother; and I once again flattened to the ground so she could get off. The mother; instead of being grateful; threatened to call the cops.

Did I mention I hate Kanto with a passion?

We continued to the Pokemon Center; eyes glaring at us as we walked. One hotshot trainer sent out his Raticate to attack me. I swiped it with my paw; sending it flying back to it's pathetic trainer.

Leah shot me a 'you really shouldn't have done that' look, but I ignored it. It was better than ripping the damn rat to shreds.

We entered the Pokemon Center and I was greeted by air-conditioning. Sweet, sweet, air conditioning.

I looked at my new trainer; decked out in a black T-shirt and jeans. I was guessing that wasn't her trainer's uniform.

We walked down a hallway and Leah knocked on the door. I then realized that we would be traveling with someone else. Can't say that it thrilled me, at the time. I simply did not want to become attached. Though it certainly was inevitable.

The door easily swung open; and a mousy young girl with shoulder-length, perfectly straight, raven black hair appeared in the door.

"Lee! You're back!!!" she squealed; flouncing up and down. My mouth dropped.

Oh joy. A perky one.

* * *

Back in Eterna Forest; two unevenly matched Pokemon were having a stare down. A newly evolved Furret; against an aged Toxicroak.

The Toxicroak; Luther, grinned as his knuckle-claw gleamed a purple color. Recognizing the Poison Jab attack; Manny steadied himself; and launched an Ice Beam at his foe.

Unable to simply watch from the sidelines; Kit jumped in with a well-aimed Shadow Ball. Then; she used Iron Tail; turning her soft, bushy tail into a solid metal club.

She whacked Luther in the side as he used Brick Break on an unsuspecting Furret. Manny retaliated with Flamethrower, then with Water Pulse, and then Quick Attack. Overwhelmed by the volley of attacks; Luther desperately fired up another Poison Jab, and then began jabbing at the small white Eevee.

A slender Furret leapt in front of her, though; and took the pain silently. Enraged that Manny had been hurt; Kit screeched a battle cry and shot another Shadow Ball. It hit Luther square in the face; temporarily blinding him. She took she opportunity to use Iron Tail. Her rock-hard tail bashed Luther in the head; causing a tremendous head wound.

He staggered back; a gurgling sound all that escaped his throat. Manny weakly crawled up next to Kit; and they combined Water Pulse with Shadow Ball. The blast of energy made Luther's eyes bulge in pain; and then he went limp.

Kit was internally torn. She had just battled extremely well; and yet she couldn't believe she had just killed a Pokemon.

Suddenly; she heard a moan behind her. She turned just in time to see Manny slither to the ground behind her; his muzzle tinted an ugly shade of purple.

Kit's eyes widened as she realized Manny had been poisoned.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry the battle scene was short. At least we got to see a little of Shelley & Simon, and the Poke-Belt crew. [=**

**I hope you enjoyed!**

**You know what... Review if you want. I had fun writing this chappie; and that's enough for me.**


	30. Leadership

**A/N: Wow. Thirty friggin chapters. =0 I honestly did NOT expect this story to last this long.**

**Since it's been a long trip so far; here's current level stats on the Poke's.**

**Shadow/19...Claire/17...Kenya/16...Tyson/18 (in case you can't tell; Pokemon can wait to evolve in this fic. For example; Claire couldn't evolve on level 5; but she doesn't have to evolve until she wants. Comprende?)**

**Hehe; second day of school and I already had Spanish homework. Whoop-dee-frickin-doo. **

**Anyways; enough randomness. Here's your chapter.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty

Leadership

Sunlight streamed in the burrow. Pecha Berry stems lined the entrance; discarded one by one. A Furret feebly crawled out and stretched; letting the sunlight warm his fur. Loud snoring came from the white lump curled up outside his den; betraying her petite figure. He smiled at her. She had stayed all night; squeezing Pecha Berry juice into his mouth until he was again able to chew on his own.

She mumbled something about toaster waffles in her sleep and then rolled out of the clearing into the brush. She yelped and then leapt from the thorn bush; hissing angrily. Manny winced; laughing hurt. But he continued to chuckle as Kit tried to pull the brambles out of her fur. She noticed him staring and her eyes flashed.

"It's not like you're dying anymore. Get your skinny ass over here and get this out of my fur!"

The sound of her voice contradicted the harsh words she spoke. He rolled his eyes and crawled over to help his friend. When they had finished de-thorning Kit's thick white fur; she reluctantly left. Her mother and father would be majorly upset.

But; when she arrived at the den; there was no one there.

_They must still be in Eterna Forest; searching for that wretched Moss Rock. _

She agilely darted away from the den; upset her family hadn't even noticed her absence. The morning sunshine warmed her fur; and she relaxed, walking much slower. She slipped silently past the Eon Community meadow; not interested in being taunted. She arrived at the threshold of Eterna Forest; and entered cautiously.

She was on her own this time. No TM savvy Furret at her side.

* * *

Kanto Pokemon Center rooms are a bit less trashy than the Sinnoh ones. How so? A radio alarm clock! Huzzah; we're living the good life now!

Picture this if you will; a depressed Mightyena laying on a cheap single bed; head between his paws. His deceased trainer's bag at his side; his new master sadly digging through it.

And then; a super happy and sweet trainer chatting away on the phone to her mother; twirling the phone cord and giggling every other sentence.

Sucks to be Shadow. Don't you agree?

"Wow… check it out, Shadow! Kelly got a TM. I wonder which one?"

I didn't acknowledge her; I was taken back to the day we traded an expensive fossil for the brain-damaged Tyson, the TM, and the odd stone. I was snapped out of my nostalgic memories as Leah shifted her weight on the bed.

"Uh… Shadow? Why is there a blue Poketch attached to your tail?"

I nonchalantly looked back as she undid the Velcro and slid it onto her slender wrist.

"Well, it works. I like the blue one better anyway."

I was too busy brooding over my lost friends. She noticed this; and rubbed my head affectionately.

"Do you want to see if this TM will work on you?"

When I made no attempt to show enthusiasm; she pressed the disc to my forehead. A vivid image of the move Dragon Claw skipped through my head. Leah; seeing nothing, shrugged it off.

"Oh well, Shadow. We'll go TM shopping for you soon."

I heard the click of the phone as Julie; Leah's friend, finished her long-winded conversation.

"Guess what, Lee; Mum got us tickets to the newly refurbished Safari Zone!"

Leah rolled her eyes practically. "Honestly, Jules. Use that brain Mew gave ya. You know you have to have a certain number of Gym Badges to go to the Safari Zone. Plus; it's in Fuchsia City. How do you propose we _get_ there?"

Kind-hearted Julie sighed. "Sorry. I guess… I guess I just got too excited."

Leah softened her hard expression. "Aw, it's okay Julie. It as a nice thought though."

Leah and Julie talked for nearly an hour when we heard two shots from outside the Pokemon Center.

There were multiple screams; and then another shot. Leah glanced down at me; but I was already upright; snarling at the door lest someone uninvited burst through. Leah shoved our things under her bed and motioned for me to follow her. Julie was pale as the sheet she was hiding beneath.

"Yeah… you guys go ahead," she stammered.

I cautiously peered my head out the door; expecting to see three human bodies on the street. But what I saw made me gape in total shock and disbelief.

* * *

Claire cautiously peered around the fence bordering the medium-sized city. Many scents from the street vendors wafted her way; making her mouth water. Three days without food.

Needless to say; water didn't do much for the golden-orange fire lizard, either.

"When Tyson gets a chance; he is going to raid berry stand and eat ten trillion Pecha berries," he panted.

Kenya was too tired and hungry to make a comment. Perhaps that's why Claire was so terribly concerned about her.

"Claire, when can we have some food?" squeaked the Shinx weakly.

The Charmander in question sat down and put her head in her clawed hands. "I… I don't know, Kenya. I'm so sorry-" her voice cracked with uncertainty.

To her surprise; she felt a light touch on her shoulder.

"Tyson says it will be okay. You is great leader. We has gotten this far, haven't we?"

Kenya weakly smiled in encouragement; and the Cranidos gave her a thumbs up. Claire lifted her head to look at the two.

All her years; she had been a follower. Now; she was being thrust into leadership.

She picked up Kelly's old worn leather belt, and got up; confidence somewhat renewed. She stuck to alley ways; wanting to elude human eyes. Trainers were eager to catch rare Pokemon such as herself and her friends.

When they ran out of alleys; Claire was forced to venture into the open. Five trainers ran at her; all chucking Poke Balls at her. Claire blasted them away with fire; and then Tyson and Kenya leapt to her side to help deflect them.

Then; all hell broke loose.

* * *

A once desolate island was blooming with color. Arceus balked at it. He had created that island with Darkrai's misery in mind. How dare the Nightmare Pokemon plant _flowers_?

Of all things.

Disgusted by the sight; he decided to pay a little visit to his old friend. He casually floated down to the island, and lingered above the flowered sight. His eyes glowed; and every last colorful bloom wilted before his power.

He felt a presence of mortal Pokemon; and lowered all four feet to the ground. He progressively made his way to the island cave; aware of the large Houndoom pack stalking him. He suddenly turned; and was slightly surprised by the amount of eyes gleaming at him.

The leader of the pack; a large, cunning male, strode confidently towards the large stag-like creature. Arceus penetrated the Houndoom's mind; picking out interesting tidbits for his own use.

The dominant male was a fair leader; strong, bold, and courageous. He had seven pups and a mate in a den; hidden away in the vast wastelands of New Moon Island. The legendary smirked.

"Gretings, Arceus. We have been ordered by Darkrai to keep intruders off New M-"

A well aimed Hyper Beam left the mighty Houndoom stuck eternally in a silent scream. He crumpled weakly to the ground; and drew his last ragged breath.

"Shadowflame!" cried one of the youngest in the pack.

He fell to death as his father had.

Arceus laughed sadistically. "It's amusing how you mere mortals believe you can prevent me from getting what I want. Don't worry, my pretties; I'll be back soon."

He rose; leaving the pathetic pack to mourn their beloved fallen leader. Their sorrowful howls were lost in the roar of the mighty stag-like legendary; declaring his wonder and majesty.

~0o0~

In a pitch black cave; a lone Dusclops stared blankly at the cave below. His gaze briefly darted to the wooden object across the room; and then back to the cave. He was always so sure of himself. Never responsible for anything but his own life.

Now; he felt like the weight of the world rested on his hollow shoulders.

* * *

**A/N: Ah... you've got to love cliffies. [=**

**As for the update schedule; please expect about once a week (or possibly less. sophomore year is a bitch)**

**Reviews are still loved and appreciated!! **


	31. Hate and StereoTyping

**A/N: This is perhaps my favorite chapter so far. I hope you truly enjoy this one. **

Chapter Thirty-One

Hate and Stereo-Typing

Celebi watched the scene below with intense interest. Though these events were her doing; she did not know how it would all play out. It's a strange feeling, she decided. Not knowing what happens next.

~0o0~

"Stop! Please, stop shooting at them! They haven't done anything wrong!" screamed Leah as she dove into the crowd.

The crowd slightly dispersed; and I was able to confirm what I saw. I was unable to move; frozen in utter disbelief. How in the _hell_?

~0o0~

Michelob Granger pulled the trigger repeatedly. He was faintly aware of his family behind him; eyes wide with fright. He had to kill it. His father had told him the horror stories of what happened when they weren't dealt with young. They had to be killed off. Before he, or his family, were. Eyes wild with ignorant fear; he looked down the barrel of his gun and fired again.

He hated himself for not being a better aim.

* * *

Two small green Pokémon stared at the wide expanse of water before them in dismay.

The smaller of the two was worried because he would have to lug his partner across.

His partner was worried because that meant she would have another nightmare that night; if they didn't get to Kanto before nightfall.

The Natu worriedly paced back and forth. "Shelley… I dunno if I can do this! You _know_ I have trouble flying and maintaining Psychic at the same time…"

He glanced over to her and immediately saw the determined look on her face.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, Shel. But I need to get stronger." He saw the panicked look on her face and remembered his promise.

"No Shelley, I won't evolve. But still; I need to be able to take… wait a minute! I got it!"

Simon squawked as an aggressive Turtwig toppled him over. "Well what the fuck are you waiting for ya little feathered tennis ball? Spill!"

He didn't struggle beneath her weight; it was a futile effort and a waste of precious energy.

"Teleport!" he huffed.

She raised an eyebrow. "What does that lame-ass move have to do with shit?"

He shook his beak. Her cussing skyrocketed in the morning. "Shelley; think about it. If I can drag you along with me when I fly using Psychic; I can also drag you along when and if I Teleport!"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Isn't it Natu that can't control where the fuck they Teleport?"

Simon blushed. "Well… we could try til we got it right…"

Shelley didn't look too enthusiastic. Instead; she had laid her attention on a flock of Wingull. Her dark eyes flicked back and forth; no doubt mimicking the movements of their coveted flight. Once they disappeared on the horizon; Shelley sighed.

"Damnit, Simon. I'm scared by that idea. What if…" She trailed off; lump in her throat. "What if you accidentally leave me behind?"

He nuzzled her and smiled cheerfully; cleverly masking his uncertainty. "Then I'll Teleport however many times it takes until I find you again."

She seemed slightly comforted, so he left it at that. She, however, moved closer and spoke softly.

"Know this, Simon the III; if you leave and don't come back… I'll track your feathered ass down and eat you alive."

He gulped sarcastically at her empty threat. "Now _that _is an offer I _can't_ refuse."

* * *

Deep in the depths of Eterna Forest; a family of Eeveelutions sat around a normal-enough looking boulder. The aged rock was covered with moss; well hidden from sunlight. From the family; a lone Eevee confidently walked to the rock. She remained there; and watched as her family returned to the safety of the den; leaving her to do her training. She gulped. She was on her own.

~o0o~

Kit scrambled away from the two Buneary that had challenged her. She had never liked the idiotic creatures. She was deep in Eterna; and completely lost. But at least she wasn't near her siblings. About that time; she heard a screech. Recognizing the distressed call of Olive; Kit was tempted to simply turn and avoid any danger. But no. She had been raised better than that.

She ran quickly to her 'sister'; not in urgency, just to escape the twangs of sadness that followed at the thought of her true parents.

"Olive?" she called tentatively into the direction of the squalls.

She stepped out of the thick undergrowth and came face-to-face with Moss Rock, Olive, and a young male Pokémon Trainer.

"Rocky, use Rock Throw!"

The Graveler in question hurled a large boulder at the tiny Eevee. It landed on Olive's tail; snapping the bone and pinning her to the ground. The boy heard the snap and screamed.

"You stupid fucking boulder! Now it has a broken tail!"

Olive was bawling; screeching in agony. She would be frowned upon if she ended up with a crooked tail.

"I don't want some lame-ass cripple. Just finish it off, Rocky. Arceus knows you could use the experience points. Use Rollout!"

The Graveler curled into a ball, and then began rolling around in circles; gaining speed. When it lauched itself directly at the injured tan and white fluff-ball; Kit leapt in front of the creature she detested most and struck the Graveler with Iron Tail. A large dent appeared in it's side; and it coughed up blood.

"Get off your lazy ass, Rocky! Get the white one! That's _super_ rare!"

Kit nimbly dodged the rocks thrown at her; managing to connect her Shadow Ball attacks with the gravelly Pokémon. It used Mud Slap and hit her square in the face.

But she was lucky, and her hardened tail made a sickening crack as it connected. The super-effective move was too much for the Graveler to take. He crumpled to the ground; knocked out cold by a final Iron Tail. The trainer whimpered, recalled his fallen Pokémon, and ran out of sight.

Kit quickly began ramming into the large boulder ensnaring Olive. The tan and white Eevee was quietly sobbing now; moaning in pain. The rock eventually crumbled after repetitive Iron Tail attack and Shadow Balls.

Kit took a step back; and waited for Olive to collect herself. Olive licked her tail in a cat-like manner; smoothing out the stray hairs. Then; she turned to Kit.

"What the fuck do you think you were doing, wench!?" she screamed.

Kit nearly fell over backwards; absolutely stunned. She regained her composure, and then spoke.

"I just saved your life you ungrateful bitch! What's your _problem_!?"

An Eevee stare-down sure has an element of cuteness in it.

"You can't battle here," snarled Olive, "if you level up here; you'll become a Leafeon, and there's only room for one Leafeon in this family. Besides; the Moss Rock only evolves one Eevee per week. I will _not_ go second to an illegitimate such as yourself."

Kit thrust her head up against her sister's skull and growled deep in her throat.

"For your information; I don't _want_ to be a fucking Leafeon. They're weak, useless, and I would _never_ want to resemble _you_ after evolving!"

Olive snickered. "Oh, please. You are a total freak. An outcast. If you even _slightly_ resembled me; maybe you could get one of your own kind instead of a worthless Sentret."

Olive was slammed into the ground by Iron Tail. She screeched, and then darted at Kit; pointy little fangs bared in a Bite attack. She was a lot higher-leveled than Kit. The snow white Eevee was caught off guard; and yelped when Olive clamped down onto her side. Unable to shake loose of Olive's grip; she began to fight dirty. Kit stomped her hind foot on the injured tail behind her.

Olive howled in pain; accidentally losing her deathly grip on the back of Kit's neck. Kit furiously dug a hole; disappearing beneath the soft, fertile soil. Olive frantically darted back and forth; paranoia setting in. The earth beneath her suddenly erupted; and she was sent flying. She landed in a bush nearby; so she didn't take much damage. Much to Kit's dismay. Olive circled her panting sister; eyes gleaming with hate.

Isn't it amazing, dear reader; how prejudice can mutilate one's perception of someone differing from themselves?

When Olive charged with a rage-powered Tackle attack; Kit calmly waited. At the last possible moment; a translucent green barrier appeared before Kit. Olive slammed into it and cried out. It might as well have been a brick wall. She slid to the ground; knocked out cold.

Kit shook her bloodied fur; and then was blinded by a white light. She gaped as the famous Moss Rock glowed a sickly green color. She tore her eyes away from it; and then realized what was happening.

* * *

Multiple shots rang out; and I dodged them as I charged the man. Before I collided with him; wrenching the gun from his hand with my razor-sharp teeth, I noticed the distinct look of blind fear.

Mew help those who stereo-type.

He cried out in agony as I buried my fangs into his flesh. The gun dropped harmlessly to the ground. Leah picked it up and pointed it at the man; lest he attempt to fight back. I turned away from the pathetic shooter to face them. The ones we had protected. The ones I loved. One of them cautiously sniffed me; and then squealed with joy and recognition.

"Uncle Shadow! I missed you _so_ much!"

* * *

**A/N: YAY!!! I hope at least a _few_ of you were surprised by the ending. **

**And... I also hope this was a nice little Sunday update. I'll be anxiously awaiting any reviews (:**

**Until next Chapter,**

**~Shelby**

* * *


	32. Dark Secrets

**A/N: If this Chapter has some typos... sorry. I wrote it a bit hurried; I'm going to be without a computer for a while... but I don't know how long. Felt I owed you at least one Chapter before this time lapse... this Chapter is dark. Consider yourself warned.  
**

* * *

Chapter 32:

Dark Secrets

Olive winced as she weakly rose from her slumped position on the ground. Every fiber of her being throbbed with a dull stood uneasily on her feet; swaying back forth as a tree sways in a soft summer breeze.

Her tail; her most beautiful asset, hung limply to one side. The creamy tan and white fluff was matted down with dried blood. It was crooked and slightly twisted.

She wailed to the dark night sky. Kit had done this to her. Kit would pay for her mistake.

Olive's thick, plush fur stood on end, and her ears flattened threateningly against her skull. Kit had taken the one thing she had wanted most. She strode with purpose in the direction of her den; growls sub-consciously escaping her throat.

Now; she would take away the one thing Kit loved and needed most_._

_

* * *

_

_The boy carefully slipped into the faded black uniform. The red logo gleamed like fresh blood; and it sickened him. The scarlet Pokemon at his side nuzzled him; reassuring her master. _

_He walked to the sink of the lonely hotel room, and began rubbing the colored dye into his hair. When he had finished; it had turned to a dull brown. Satisfied; he took the scissors and began cutting. The long, wavy, formerly red locks fell into the basin. When at last the scissors were replaced to the counter; he looked into the mirror. His unruly hair remained curly in its shorter form. _

_Disgusted with what his reflection revealed; he stormed from the room and slouched into the armchair. He detested what he once was. What he had become. _

_He took a swig from the bottle, and the alcohol burned the tears from his eyes.

* * *

_

The mother Ursaring carefully eyed her three cubs. They all maintained an angelic expression, but when she turned away they began quarreling again. All over a simple Cheri berry. The three finally decided to settle the argument by putting the berry on a tree stump, and forming a triangle around it. On the count of five; they would dash in, and whoever snatched it up first got the berry.

"One... two... three...four... fi- HEY!"

The eldest cub; a male named Slay, growled as two Pokemon appeared out of no where; on top of the stump.

The first cussed; mumbling something about the cool weather. The second nervously looked around, and gasped when he noticed the hungry Teddiursa cubs.

"GAH! Please, don't eat me!" cried the pathetic excuse for a bird.

Slay grinned. "FIVE!"

He and his two brothers sprinted at the two bite-size green Pokemon. But when they were inches from their prey; the Teddiursa were stunned. Their prey vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. With a squeal; the three malicious cubs collided into each other head-first.

~o0o~

Simon was trembling with absolute terror. "Oh my Mew, oh my Mew, oh my freakin MEW!" he panted. "We almost DIED, Shelley! Eaten by killer baby Pokemon!"

The Turtwig he spoke of was giggling and cackling; collapsed on the ground.

"That was fuckin' awesome!" she cried out between snorts on chortles.

Her friend, who had begun to calm down, shook his head.

"We've been at this all day, Shel. I don't even know if we've managed to teleport out of Sinnoh yet..."Simon trailed off as he came to the realization he was being ignored. Once again.

Shelley was staring; an odd look on her face, at something the tiny Natu failed to see due to his height.

"What is it, Shelley?" When he got no reply, he fluttered into the air.

"Please... help me," rasped a weak voice.

Simon and Shelley stared speechlessly at the dying creature before them. The mangled, battered Delcatty was barely breathing. Blood poured from her wounds; and she was nearly too weak to speak.

"What happened to you?" cried Shelley; concerned and sickened by the feline. Her answer was rattled breathing.

"You'll be fine, everything will be okay, Miss Delcatty. We'll take care of you," cooed Simon. Even the highly optimistic Natu found it hard to be positive.

She was rapidly fading. "No, you fool! Can't you see... I'm dying? The only way... you can help me...."

She trailed off; eyes beginning to dull. Her ragged breathing drastically slowed. The Natu shook her with his wings.

"What? What can i do for you?" he whispered; tears welling up in his eyes.

Her eyes flicked upward; and then her life's flame was snuffed out forever. Her eyes blankly stared; fixated on a distant object.

Simon and Shelley stepped back; slightly disturbed by the sudden, unexplained death they had witnessed.

"I feel terrible," whispered Shelley; solemn for once. "We never heard her dying wish."

This time; it was Shelley who was ignored. For Simon was busy.

He followed the Delcatty's gaze to a tree branch hanging low over her body. There was a small leather pouch dangling from it.

* * *

"Hey, you! Halt!"

The Rocket Grunt ran towards the young man he had stopped. "This is Team Rocket territory. If you don't leave, I'm afraid I'll have to-"

He paused mid-sentence when the guy in question turned to face him. The blood red R on his black uniform caused the Grunt to sigh in relief. It was his first day on the job. He was hopelessly lost in that Mew-forsaken forest.

"Hey buddy. Boy; am I glad to see yo-"

A flash of scarlet fur rushed at him; and needle sharp teeth burrowed into his flesh. He tried to scream; but an outside Psychic force muted him. That same force lifted him and pulled him to the young man. The muted Grunt whimpered in fear.

"Down," commanded the assaulter in a calm voice; void of emotion.

The Vulpix obediantly returned to her master's side; leaving ruby-red stains down the black uniform of the Grunt.

Her master drew a machete from his side; and slowly let a finger run across the gleaming blade.

"Tell me, pathetic Grunt. What is your name?"

"H-Horace," gasped the man; able to talk once again. He tried to move; but he was immobilized by the Kadabra standing next to the assaulter.

"Horace. What a nice name. Perhaps you can be of use to me," said the young man in a wistful voice.

Horace gulped; intense fear burning deep inside him. This strange man was a Rocket. His uniform was a dead giveaway. But... why was he attacking him?

"Can you tell me anything about your leader? Is it still Giovanni... or has it changed?" asked the assaulter as he looked over his lethal weapon. He already knew the answer.

"Giovanni d-died five y-years ago," said the Grunt. He then knew he was going to die. This man was an ex-Rocket member, apparently. "Our new leader is Antonio Greenwall."

The young man stiffened at the name. "Imagine that. Well; thank you for your assistance."

And without another word; he slashed the man with his machete. The Grunt let out a silent scream; and then fell to the ground.

"Why are you doing... this?" gasped the dying Grunt.

His assaulter's eyes gleamed with outrageous fury. "It's a simple game of revenge. You bastards took the thing I loved most away from me for no fucking reason. I vowed then to kill off every single one of you; until Team Rocket is extinct."

The Grunt lay still; and his breathing ceased. The assaulter pulled a dagger and etched two initials into the skin on the dead man's forehead. His Vulpix watched him; her muzzle contorted by a concerned expression. The alcohol that tinged his breath made her eyes water.

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, I know. Some of this might not make sense quite yet. It will become clearer in future Chapters. If you have questions, though, leave them in a Review or PM me. **

**(Please don't hurt me for not doing a bit from Shadow's POV.) {=**

**Feedback much appreciated but certainly not mandatory.**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby  
**


	33. Explanation and Toilet Plungers

**A/N: Let's review, shall we?**

**Kit has evolved into Leafeon; the one evolution she hates most. Olive is out for blood; anything for revenge. It has been discovered that Wes is a former member of Team Rocket; and is currently creeping around in his old suit killing off Grunts. (The ring on his finger was an old Admin ring from when he was a Rocket. That's why Raina let him go; she saw the ring. Make sense now??) Oh; and it appears he's now an alcoholic. Simon and Shelley are _still_ in Sinnoh; and have found a random leather pouch containing Arceus-knows-what that belonged to a now deceased Delcatty; killed by an unknown force. **

**This is for all those people who didn't give this story a chance and wrote it off by the 10th chapter; calling it completely unoriginal.**

**... How do you like it now, bitches?**

* * *

Chapter 33:

Explanations and Toilet Plungers

As a human; I had always pined for a family reunion. It's hard to have a family reunion when you have no family to speak of; but I was young, and simply naive then.

I had imagined a huge gathering of nameless and faceless people; all warmly hugging one another and reminiscing about the good old days. There would have been plenty of food, fruit punch, and laughter. When night fell, we would gather around a large bonfire and sing. Then, we would exchange stories, while roasting marshmellows, until the time came when everyone had to pack up and head home. The gaity and nolstalgia would be replaced with tearful farewells; and the hearty laughter swapped for e-mail addresses and heartfelt promises of daily letters.

Needless to say; my reunion with my insane 'adopted' family of Pokes was much unlike my fairy-tale dreams; which were the result of many lonely nights in the orphanage, wondering who would be adopted out next.

First of all; we retreated to the Pokemon Center room to do our hugging and such. In a dusty street having bullets fired at you isn't an ideal spot for 'I missed you'.

It didn't take long for Leah to realize that by some random miracle; the remainder of Kelly's Pokemon had come to her. Between the excited Poke Speech, tear-filled eyes, the letter describing the three, and clingy-ness of a certain 'neice' of mine; it was plain to see it was a reunion. But; with every reunion comes a little sadness. And naturally; I was the one forced to explain what happened. Why we were in Kanto.

Why we had a new trainer.

* * *

"So... I think we deserve an explanation, Shadow. When did you evolve? Why are we in Kanto? And who's this chick we're traveling with?" asked Claire.

"And why were those meanies shooting at us?" squeaked Kenya.

"Why Tyson's belly growling like a demon child?" he asked; staring in awe at his underfed torso.

"You're hungry, dipshit," growled Claire good-naturedly.

Through her cheerful smile; I sensed a bit of concern. We were all on the bed in the hotel room. Leah had left to buy food for the four of us; and Julie had gone with her. Kenya smiled expectantly at me; and Tyson was mumbling something in third person. I faltered, and then sighed in decision.

Life was too short to keep things from the ones you loved.

A pained expression graced my muzzle; and my eyes filled with tears as I began my tale.

"It all started... near a small town in Sinnoh called Twinleaf. It was humid, and foggy that morning..."

~o0o~

I told them everything. About my gruesome death. About how much I had loved Kelly. About my rebirth. About my jealousy towards Wes. About what Greg and Raina had done to Kelly. About the feelings I had developed for Grace and Wes on our short voyage to Kanto. And about how much I loved and had missed them; despite my snarky comments and coarse language. The only thing I excluded was my relationship with Celebi.

"That's okay, Uncle Shadow. I still love you; even if you had a messed up life," cooed Kenya in what I _believe_ was supposed to be a comforting way.

"Gee, thanks kiddo," I said, affectionately swiping a paw at her.

Tyson patted me on the back. "It will be okay, big wolf-thingy. Do not be ashamed you were once human. Tyson will let you live."

Claire, however; had neglected to say anything. She glanced up at Tyson and nodded. Tyson hurriedly decided to take Kenya to the bathroom portion of the room; to show her how fun it was to watch items be flushed down the toilet. But the _main_ objective was to give Claire and I some privacy.

When the door clicked shut and the first flush could be heard; she turned to me, eyes burning in anger.

"You lied," she whispered in disbelief. Her expression hardened. "Damn it, you _lied_ to me, Shadow! I thought we were friends!" she spat.

The hurt in her voice sliced through me like a knife.

"I-I... I'm sorry, Claire. But I was-" My voice faltered.

"You were _what_?" she demanded; eyes cold with indifference. I bowed my head.

"I w-was... _ashamed_."

At that moment; the weight of everything crushed me. I began sobbing uncontrollably. I sobbed for my lost life. I sobbed out of guilt for keeping my past from Claire. And most of all; I cried about my loss. Kelly's death hit me hard, right then.

I felt a clawed paw rest on my shaking shoulder. My wracking sobs died down to a soft shuddering. When I finally grew a pair and looked back down at Claire; her expression had softened.

"There's no reason for you to be ashamed, scared, or anything else; Daniel. Pokemon aren't so much like humans, as I'm sure you've figured out by now. We don't judge one by their past. We judge by one's actions. And even if you _were_ human... you'll always be the same old dumbass canine to me."

She hugged me, and I raised an eyebrow. "Dumbass, eh? Tell me, Claire, when did you become so fucking insightful?"

She shook her head. "My father was a great guy," she said simply. I left it at that.

We heard erratic laughter as the toilet flushed again. Claire chuckled, and then turned to face the window. She sighed wistfully and sat down.

"She's really not coming back, is she?"

Her question threw me off guard. I winced, and then lay down beside her. "No. She isn't."

Claire whimpered a bit, and my tail instinctively wrapped around her. "But we'll be okay, won't we?"

I lay my head between my paws. "Yeah. We will."

She leaned her head up against me and sighed. We silently mourned our loss. Together.

We lay there for a while, until we heard the toilet flush; and then a _lot_ of profane language. Tyson nonchalantly exited the bathroom a few minutes later, and sheepishly smiled at us.

"Uh... does either one of you by any chance know how unclog a toilet?"

"AHHH! GET ME OUT OF THIS STUPID THING! UNCLE SHADOW!_" _

Claire and I exchanged a what-in-the-hell look; and the rushed into the bathroom to find Kenya attempting to scramble out of the toilet bowl. Claire wrinkled her muzzle up in a disgusted manner; and I fell onto the floor laughing.

"Apparently," began Tyson from behind us, "little blue-furred things do not go down very easy. Hehe."

Claire shot him an exasperated look; and then we began the endeavor of getting her out.

~o0o~

Twenty minutes later; Leah and Julie walked in the door to find a Charmander strangling a Cranidos, a Mightyena cackling his head off, and a sopping wet Shinx bawling in the corner. Julie crinkled her nose up at the sight.

"Is it _always_ going to be like this?" she asked apprehensively; setting the grocery bags filled with Poke Food down. Leah shrugged and seperated the two quarreling Pokemon.

"Knowing my sister; probably so." Leah then turned her attention to the Shinx. "Kenya, why are you all wet?"

All four of us glanced at one another, and then spoke in unison.

"Don't ask!"

It sure was good to be back together again.

* * *

**A/N: (Hence the odd Title)**

**There you go; a heartfelt reunion chapter as promised. (: **

**And sorry about my rant, earlier. I was reading some REALLY old PMs about the first few chapters of LITM. **

**I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chappie. (: Next one will involve all the characters left out of this one. **

**Until then,**

**~Shelby**


	34. Deception

**A/N: This chapter has some light and dark points... but mostly dark. Hehe... please enjoy! **

**RECAP: Last chapter, Shadow revealed his rebirth to Claire, Kenya, and Tyson. Tyson also succeeded in flushing Kenya half-way down the toilet. What fun.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four: 

Deception 

"Kit? Kit, is that you?"

The Leafeon in question leapt nearly a foot into the air and hissed. Manny didn't cower. Evolution had rid him of his paranoia.

"Kit, I can't believe it! You evolved." "How fucking wonderful for you to point out," she snapped; tail flicking in an annoyed manner.

The Furret took a step back; shocked she had spoken to him in that tone.

"What's wrong, Kit? Aren't you happy you evolved?"

Manny couldn't fathom not wanting to become stronger. It wasn't possible, was it?

"Don't you see," she snarled, "Leafeon is one of the absolute _weakest _of the Eeveelutions! I dislike them all; but I should have at _least_ become an Umbreon!"

Manny frowned. "You know; you could try looking at the positives."

"Such as?" she snapped.

"Like the fact that, as a Leafeon; it's difficult to tell you're a shiny. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Kit fell silent; too stubborn to agree with her friend.

"You know what? Never mind. I'll see ya 'round, Kit."

And with that; he bounded off. Kit's heart sunk as his words sank in. Manny had always been so wonderful to her. How could she have done that to him? Yet, once again; her pride stood in the way of reasoning.

Kit walked to the pool of spring water and stared down at her miserable reflection. As usual; Manny was right. To the un-trained eye; she appeared to be a normal, worthless Leafeon. The only difference was her slightly darker tan fur, and brighter green leaves.

She had a large, question mark-shaped leaf emblem on her forehead. Her large, thin Eevee ears had been replaced by ones that were larger yet; and were crinkled around the edges. In other words; they resembled leaves. Of all things.

Kit angrily swatted the water with a dark brown paw; causing the ripples to distort her reflection. She lay down next to the spring and sighed heavily; rigid, jagged new tail flicking back and forth in annoyance.

* * *

Manny walked sullenly through the trees; headed for his den. He was faintly aware of someone following him; but he assumed it was Kit. She was possibly the most prideful Pokémon he had ever known. Manny chuckled softly at the thought of her. She perplexed him. Perhaps that was why he loved her so much…

Manny froze; eyes wide. He _loved_ her. He had just admitted it to himself.

A little confused about his emotions; he quickened his pace. He could sort out his feelings in the solitude of the dark tunnel. But when he rounded the bend; he ran smack into the last Poké he wanted to see.

"Oh, hi! You must be Manny," chirped the Eevee.

Her perfectly groomed fur glistened brightly. But it wasn't as pretty as the snow-white fur that had covered Kit. He blushed as she seductively wrapped her bushy tail around him as she rubbed up against him.

"Uh… yeah. Kit's told me a lot about you," he stammered.

Olive licked his cheek, and Manny leapt backwards.

"Look, Olive. This is completely unwanted. So if you don't mind-"

Manny fell with an thud to the ground; pinned on his back by the Eevee. Her eyes swirled with pink energy; and Manny realized in horror as she used Attract. Within mere seconds; her overpowering attack left him dazed.

"So… Manny… changed your mind?"

He dizzily tottered after her as she playfully hopped away from him.

"C'mon, Manny. You can _always_ follow me."

"I can always follow you," he murmured in a low, mechanical voice.

She led him to a small meadow; secluded and quiet. She rolled over and exposed her belly seductively. The entranced Furret crawled next to her and sighed blissfully as she began licking his ears. He moaned in delight; and stretched out much like a contented feline.

"Kit is so undeserving of you… you are so wonderful, Manny. So… _manly_. And she blew up on you! For _no_ reason. That must have been _just awful_."

Olive surprised herself by how seductive she could be when called upon. Especially with a creature that made her skin crawl.

_Easy there, Olive. It's not like you're going to mate him. Steady ol' girl; you can do this._

Her thoughts were interrupted as the Furret began to shake off the Attract.

"Wha… where am I? Olive!? What the hell-"

Olive pinned him again, and her eyes once again seduced him into a dream-like state. Seeing no need to further entice him; Olive playfully bounded away; headed towards a place she knew all too well. Manny obediently followed; unable to shake the spell that narrowed his entire focus center on the Eevee in front of him.

* * *

Two thick green vines loosened their grip on the strip of bark; and the owner stood back to admire her handiwork. The small mound of dirt had been properly patted down; and the grave had been decorated by assorted flowers her partner had picked.

"Think it would have made her proud?" asked Simon, eyes saddened.

Shelley nodded in affirmation. "Yeah. Whoever she was; at least she didn't die alone. And; her… erm, _package_ will be safe. For now."

They fell silent for a moment; pondering the ways fate and destiny intertwine to create the future. Simon felt he could dwell on it for days. Deep thought and solitude was where he found his peace of mind.

Shelley, however; wasn't too fond of deep thought. In fact; she despised _anything_ rational. Spontaneity was her strong point.

Being as such; she suddenly gripped the still-thinking Natu in her vines and yelled "BOO!"

"AHHH!" he screamed.

As he did; Shelley heard a soft spluttering sound.

"Gotcha," she giggled; releasing Simon with ruffled feathers and a heart racing faster than a Rapidash on crack.

It was then the Turtwig turned her attention to where the noise had come from. When she saw the cause; she burst into a fit of laughter, tears freely rolling down her face as she gasped for air. Simon obliviously continued flattening his lime-green feathers; undeterred. She had a tendency to randomly burst into laughter. But when it continued; he became skeptical.

"What in the world are you going on about?" he asked; slightly amused.

Shelley snickered, and then glanced at the cause of her laughter. The Natu began to blush profusely.

"I… cannot… _believe_…I _literally_ scared the shit out of you!" panted the Turtwig between chuckles.

Simon squirmed uncomfortably; cursing himself for being so easily frightened. After what seemed like an eternity; Shelley calmed down and sighed.

"You ready to keep moving?" asked Simon sheepishly; the blush finally beginning to fade.

Shelley glanced once more at the fresh grave to their right, and then nodded; wrapping her vines around the leather pouch. Simon perched on her head leaf; and began glowing. Within an instant; they disappeared; leaving behind the mound of dirt that held so much sorrow, grief, and regret.

* * *

Jeremy Fischer whistled joyfully. The Taillow perched on his shoulder sang merrily, keeping time with its master's shrill tune; and all was well with the world. Jeremy, ten at the time, had just embarked on his journey; best friend at his side.

Darkness had begun to fall; and anxiety befell the traveling pair. The wilds of Kanto were no place for a young ten-year-old, but the law stated otherwise.

He heard faint voices; and Jeremy flinched. He wanted to be brave. For his Pokémon. But his words were stuck in his throat; and a scream clung to his chapped lips. The tiny bird on his shoulder made a low cooing sound; indicating his apprehensiveness towards the dark and the noises it brought. About that moment; a Golbat drifted lazily into their path. It stared at them; and then floated away again. Young Jeremy shivered at the thought of the blood-sucking bat. His Taillow mimicked his shiver; shaking its feathers as if to rid itself of a bad smell.

As suddenly as it had disappeared; the Golbat returned, this time with a man clad in black hot on its trail. Jeremy wanted to turn and run out of pure fright; but seemed glued to the very spot.

"Go, Taillow! Use Quick Attack!" stammered the boy; relying heavily on the tiny bird to save his life.

He recognized this man as a member of a sinister organization; Team Rocket. Jeremy began to cry; knowing his Taillow would fall in battle; slain by the vicious Golbat. His Pokémon screeched in pain as the Golbat clamped onto its left wing; and the crunching of bones was unmistakable.

"Please… please, stop! You're hurting her!" cried Jeremy; finding his voice.

The Rocket member sneered. "Get lost, kid. I ain't gonna kill it; I'm taking it to the lab for some tests."

He then turned his back; leaving the boy with a decision. Being irrational, as most adolescents are, the boy jumped onto the man's back and attempted to choke him. Jeremy was easily flung to the side; and he cried out as he felt his arm snap like a twig. He began to cry heavily; sorrow emanating from him due to his fractured arm and the screeching that came from his injured Pokémon. What he saw next, scarred Jeremy for life.

A Shadow Ball attack slammed into the Golbat; sending it spiraling downward. A Nidorina waited for it below; and ferociously ripped it to shreds with razor-sharp claws and elongated fangs. The Rocket member fell to the ground; a purple energy surrounding him and rendering him helpless. Jeremy watched in silent horror as his Taillow fell from the sky; and then whooshed out a breath in relief as another man, wearing the same uniform, caught her; cradling her carefully in his arms. The Vulpix at his side and the Kadabra controlling the Golbat's owner were proof Jeremy's hero was a skilled trainer.

The twanging pain in his arm subsided as his Taillow was returned to him; unconscious but very much alive.

"Thank you," whispered Jeremy; in awe of this mysterious hero of his; wearing a uniform that contradicted his demeanor.

The hero faintly smiled, and then turned to face the Kadabra, who nodded. "Look, kid, I don't know where you came from; but get away from here as soon as possible. It isn't safe here."

Jeremy quickly nodded; eager to listen to his savior. The man turned and walked over to the man on the ground. Jeremy crept to the thick, tangled undergrowth and watched; curiosity overriding his will to obey this powerful man.

"Sick bastard," muttered the hero; kicking the immobilized Rocket in the side.

He nodded to his Kadabra; and the psychic energy twisted the man's neck until a sickening pop resounded; and he fell limp. Wes thought he faintly heard the sound of someone throwing up; but brushed it off. Surely this was a figment of his imagination.

He etched two initials into the forehead of the slain Rocket Grunt, and then wiped his blade on his victim's pant leg. He patted his Nidorina and Kadabra in thanks before silently recalling them. He solemnly looked down to his Vulpix; and she shuddered. He ruffled her crimson fur affectionately; and then continued on his way.

She sighed wistfully, and then padded along behind him obediently.

* * *

**A/N: 2 down, thousands to go. You can do it, Wes.**

**As for Jeremy; he has no actual reference to the story, nor does his Taillow. They were thrown in for a different POV.**

**And for those of you silly people who haven't put LITM Chronicles on alert; the second one-shot is up. Who's the star? WES!!**

**Well, as always, feedback is appreciated. Next chapter will involve Shadow and Co. leaving Viridian. YAY.**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	35. You Are My Sunshine

**A/N: Yes, this chapter is short, but I believe it is satisfactory (: Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: 

You Are My Sunshine 

"Ugh. I _hate_ mornings!" growled Claire.

I nodded in agreement as we stumbled into the small café in Viridian for coffee and donuts before heading to Pewter City. The glares Kenya and I attracted didn't go unnoticed.

"No need to stare, keep your eyes to yourself and mind your own damn business," snapped Leah at a woman who was watching my every move.

"Big words for such a petite ten-year-old," commented Claire.

I chuckled; nodding in agreement. The woman quickly snatched up her coffee cup and scrambled out the door.

"Two hot chocolates, and a box of glazed doughnuts, please."

The lady behind the counter wrote down the order and disappeared, screaming at her employees. Julie yelled something about getting a booth; and dashed off.

"Wait for meeeeeee!" squealed Kenya; happily chasing after her human equivalent.

At the _booth_, Leah and Julie excitedly chattered about the upcoming Gym battle. Unable to partake in this sane conversation; I reluctantly resorted to listening to Tyson go on and on about the logic behind doughnuts.

"Tyson just cannot understand it! Why cut the center out and leave less for my snarly tummy?"

He fervently devoured the pastry in question; the glaze sticky and wet around his annoying mouth. Kenya paused from her rendition of 'You Are My Sunshine' long enough to insert her opinion on the trivial matter.

"Silly Tyson; humans cut out the middle so we can have doughnut holes! Yummy!" She smiled sweetly and I rolled my eyes. The sweltering heat was fucking getting to me.

"So… it is just as Tyson suspected! The two-legs is behind this travesty!" he hissed, before eating another.

"Oh shut up, shit for brains. I'll tell you why, if you stop speaking in third-person," snarled Claire; though she was hopeful he would comply.

No such luck. He hadn't heard her over the singing Shinx, so she sighed and continued; voice raised slightly. "Humans cut the center out because they weren't cooking properly and the center of the hole-less doughnut were too raw and doughy to be eaten."

Tyson stared blankly at her. "Does you think they would give Tyson a cup of coffee if he said please?"

Claire smacked her forehead, and then began rubbing her temples. I chuckled softly under my breath. Perhaps this _was_ better than human conversation.

"That's a fantastic question, Tyson!" chirped Kenya. "I think I'll get the Double-Expresso!"

I snorted; the heat sparking my spiteful sarcasm. "Why; so you can become doubly annoying, twice as fast?"

Her cheeky grin was unwavering; my sarcastic, snide remarks soaring way over her head. Claire, however, was in a fit of laughter.

Ten minutes later; we were out of the crammed café and out in the bright, sunny, hot as hell weather. My black fur clung to my skin; damp and warm. On top of that; I was beginning to feel drowsy.

"I hate the fucking sun," I growled to myself as I stumbled over nothing and did a face-plant. I rose and shook off the dust; before resuming dragging my sluggish feet.

Kenya bounced along beside me jubilantly, "I _love_ the sun! Hey Uncle Shadow, do you want to hear-"

"If you sing that fucking song one more time; the Cranidos gets it!" I snarled; fangs bared menacingly.

"What's a Cranidos?" asked Tyson; oblivious to… well, everything.

Claire whacked him upside the head with her tail, and then took a bite out of the last doughnut. Finding it under her standards, she stuck the doughnut on her tail and let the flame turn it a crispy brown before devouring it whole. As she licked the glaze from her tiny clawed hands, I smiled at her. Such a funny creature.

"I believe, that I have found, the number two reason, humans put holes in these things," she exclaimed; pausing between words to make contented smacking noises.

Leah paused from her chatting to look back at us; a suspicious look spreading across her face. "I wish I knew what you guys were going on about," she mused.

Claire shared a sideways glance with me, and I sniggered. "Oh believe me, Leah. You most absolutely don't."

~o0o~

"You know, it never fails to amaze me…" started Leah as she used a Potion on Tyson.

"What are you talking about, Lee?" asked Julie; Kenya in her arms.

"Seriously; they hand out a freakin Pokédex to anyone capable of drooling!" ranted Leah.

We were deep into the depths of Viridian Forest. I had sought out refuge in the shade of the thick broadleaf trees; though the humidity still continued to choke me through the shade. We had just finished a worthless battle between a clueless bug catcher with a Metapod. Needless to say; Tyson won, brain damage and all.

We hadn't walked five minutes more when another leapt out at us. "Battle me, and my wonderful Butterfree!" he sang out; waving his net over his head.

Claire shot a fireball directly at the net and it disintegrated on contact. The boy cried out in agony. "You'll pay for that! Go, Beedrill!"

Julie frowned in confusion. "Wait a minute; you were just singing about a Butterfree," she pointed out.

He smiled innocently. "Nah. Beedrill is badass."

Leah looked at us all with searching eyes, and finally rested them on Kenya. "You're up, baby girl."

Squealing in delight; the Shinx trotted out into the path and giggled; tail waving at the menacing Beedrill.

"Hiya! Let's play, okay?"

"Ssstupid girl… you will die fassssst," hummed the Beedrill.

"Kenya, use Tackle!"

"Dodge, Beedrill!"

Sadly; this is about as deep into the battle as I got. My mind was elsewhere; on Leah. Her movements, the way she commanded with a level head, and her hand gestures had Kelly written all over it. In a way I was grateful; in a way, Kelly wouldn't be entirely dead to me. But then again… it lingered as a cruel reminder of what could've been; and what never could be again.

"Beedrill, use Poison Sting, and hurry up about it!"

"Kenya, look out!"

The unsuspecting Shinx took the direct hit; yowling in pain and becoming poisoned. Her energy slowly drained; her movements became less agile and much more sluggish. The Beedrill began plowing her time and time again; his Tackle attacks slowly wearing her down.

"Get AWAY!" she screamed at the bug finally.

Suddenly, she began to glow bright white. The looks on everyone's faces were those of complete and utter shock, as our sweet little girl nearly doubled in size. Her tiny little baby teeth morphed into decent sized fangs; and her tail swished in anger. She roared; _Luxio_ ringing and echoing through the forest as she leapt into the air. The Spark attack combined with the evolution caught the Beedrill totally off guard. Electricity crackled and popped as she slammed into the bug. It fell to the ground with a hollow thud to the ground; and moaned. Its pathetic trainer was forced to recall it; and sulked off with the prize money while we balked over our new Luxio.

Kenya proudly skipped over to us; seeming to glide on air. My mind flashed back to my dreams… she had been a Luxio then. My uneasiness went unnoticed by everyone else; too busy staring in disbelief. Our once tiny, sweet, adorable girl had become a Pokémon capable of killing. But the question was… how would this affect her?

"Hey, Uncle Shadow!! Can we play a game now? _Please_?"

I whooshed a breath of relief. "Any game you want, Kenya."

* * *

**A/N: Again, sorry it was short. But I thought the first part was funny; and Kenya was the last one thought to evolve any time soon. Her personality won't change a bit, though.**

**Hope you enjoyed! PM me wuth any questions you might have! ^.^**

**Until Next Time,**

**~Shelby**


	36. Breaking Barriers

**A/N: Let me warn you; this is a shitty filler chapter. Sorry in advance. But to make it up to you: I'm doing a double update tonight. Yes; this contains vital info, so you need to read this to know what all goes on.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Six:

Breaking Barriers

Olive stared in shock. Perhaps… perhaps she had gone too far this time. But she had already started this. She had to finish it.

Olive crept past the Eon Valley; carefully avoiding straying gazes. She came to a hollow tree, and let out a shrill _VEE!_ Many moments passed, and finally a Mr. Mime emerged. His eyes were plastered to the ground; this Eevee intimidated him.

"Move it," she snarled.

He hurriedly obliged; and lifted a large, heavy rock off the top of a hollow hole in the old tree. A weak scratching sound came, and when the Furret poked its head over the side to bask in the moon's soft glow; the Mr. Mime recruited by Olive set up a Barrier attack; creating a force field and blocking any escape Manny might attempt.

Solemn; he sniffed and stared at Olive with a questioning look. It had been two days since she lured him here. He knew not her intentions. Though something was different tonight. Normally; she had allowed him to crawl out, had her accomplice surround him with Barrier, used Attract, and then allowed him to dine on a few berries she brought. There were no berries this time.

"What's up, Olive?" he asked casually.

She noticed his fur was matted; and the once shiny pelt was dull with neglect. She softened; though his incompetence held her at bay.

"Where's my five star dinner?" he joked hoarsely.

"You won't need food where you're going," she mumbled.

His defined muscles rippled; he feared this Eevee. But, he had to remember Kit. She would smack him with an Iron Tail if he fell back on his paranoid ways. But still… he knew he was being taken to his death. By a tiny tan-and-white ball of fluff. He shook his head; resigned to the fact that death was inevitable.

Olive stared at the freakishly calm Furret. Her plan was a simple one; lure him with Attract to the Eon Valley. He would be quickly and easily killed there; and right before Kit. She had to admit; he was more powerful than herself. And yet she called him weak, incompetent, and worthless. She bit her lip in indecision, but shook off her split-second concern.

"It's nothing personal, Manny. I just…" she trailed off; searching for the right words.

"You want revenge on Kit; because she took away what you wanted most, and at the same time she reversed the situation because now _you_ are the outcast because you are the only one of the new litter to remain an Eevee. Of course; now that Kit's Leafeon form aids in hiding her condition, the idiot Eon Community fails to remember she was the outcast. So naturally; you have become their new point of interest."

His face was emotionless; though his speech had been insightful and blunt. It had hit home with the young Eevee, and she began sobbing uncontrollably. He spoke the truth.

Manny's demeanor softened. He hated seeing _anyone_ cry; even if it was the jealous, vengeful sister of his best friend. He stiffly moved over to her and wrapped his fluffy body around her. He embraced her as such for a few moments; while she regained her stature.

When she came to the realization that _he_ was consoling her; Olive's first reaction should have been to recoil, fur bristling. But somehow, she broke through her prejudice and pressed her weary body up against his; breathing in his scent that mingled with the smell of the oak tree he had been confined to.

Manny was surprised at her actions; but a faint trace of lust sparked deep inside him.

_This Eevee needs me. Kit made it clear she doesn't anymore… _

He became aware of the use of Attract on him; but the Furret didn't care. The repetitive use had began to take a permanent effect on him.

Olive began rubbing his chest with her head; moaning in delight as his feelings for Kit crumbled beneath her and her deceptive moves. But this time; she was not holding back. Manny understood her when she had done nothing but bring misery to his life. Lust and understanding combined can break barriers such as prejudice and hate, after all.

It was no longer about revenge for Olive.

Disgusted with the wriggling bodies before him; Mr. Mime slunk away. He had a feeling the Furret wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.

* * *

_The girl stood before the world; clutching a large trophy to her chest. A large, wickedly powerful Mightyena stood loyally at her side. A boy with flaming red hair embraced her; and she hugged him back. She turned to her other equally powerful Pokémon; her Luxray, Rampardos, Charizard, and two other blurry figures. They were battle-worn and exhausted; but they had done it. The Championship belonged to them…_

_She looked at the face of the one she loved; and gasped as his features morphed. The tousled, long red hair became much shorter; and turned a mousy brown. The face morphed from attractive into one afflicted by acne, and jaunt cheekbones. The eyes, however, were so dark brown they seemed black. _

_"Daniel!" she cried out. _

_He smiled; and his looks meant nothing anymore as he wrapped her into a warm hug. They kissed passionately; and Kelly was faintly aware that her Mightyena had disappeared from her side…_

~o0o~

Kit jerked awake from her fitful sleep. Realization hit her hard, and she curled into the fetal position. True; she had loved Wes. He had been amazing to her. But you never have another first love. Daniel's death; one she had believed to have accepted, ran her ass over and left her trembling in woe.

_I was wrong. Wrong to move so quickly with Wes. I… I shouldn't have forgotten D-Daniel. They both deserve better than me… What is wrong with me? How could I have done that?_

She suddenly rose. She needed to talk to Manny. Her best friend would understand; he had the ability to make her feel better. She rose and began her trek to his den, her movements anything _but_ graceful. Her limbs were shaking too much for that.

The Leafeon hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Furret; though she saw no need to be concerned. She had been avoiding him, after all. Although misery loves company; it doesn't enjoy being in the company of someone possessing the right to say 'I told you so'.

She entered his den silently; believing he was probably sleeping. She did, however, hear muffled sounds from his sleeping tunnel. Brow furrowed in confusion, she squeezed through; barely fitting in the tunnels designed for none other than her slender friend. She peeked in and nearly threw up.

Seeing Olive and Manny, sleeping together, drove her on the brink of madness. Manny looked up at the gagging sound, and then froze. He was cornered by a murderous Leafeon. Kit wailed; and then shimmied back out; exiting the burrow. He made no attempt to follow her. The brain-washing effect of Attract had become permanent, and Kit meant nothing to him. He contentedly nuzzled his mate, before contentedly falling asleep once more.

* * *

It wasn't the fact Manny loved someone that bugged her. It was the fact that he loved was the one who had caused her pain every day of her reborn life.

She had been staring at his den for the past ten minutes. She knew fully well what she was going to do. She used Dig to easily enter the TM chamber. She searched the TMs for nearly an hour; touching each one to her forehead and learning as many moves as she could. When she felt she had a much better move range, she carried out her rash plan.

Her tail hardened into a jagged steel blade, and she began slashing every disc in sight. She charged up Shadow Ball and fired a array of them at the mountain of priceless TMs. When every last one was destroyed, she left the Eon Communtiy with renewed confidence.

She would set out to become the strongest Leafeon possible. Whatever that may be.

* * *

**A/N: So... I bet a LOT of you thought Manny was going to die.**

**Well, in all honesty, he _was _, but when I was writing it; I felt that even bitchy little ol' Olive deserved to be happy. Even if it was at Kit/Kelly's expense.**

**This is the last we will be hearing from Kit for a long time. Hope that doesn't deeply upset anyone. ^.^**

**Anyways, a much better chapter awaits you!**

**Until then,**

**~Shelby**


	37. If Nothing Else

**A/N: I have a poll up about LITM Chronicles. You should check it out! (:**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Seven: 

If Nothing Else

I seem to recall a time when I would have given anything to not have been reborn as a Pokémon. To not have died. But I was selfish, and immature then. As I sat guard over the sister of my long lost love, her friend, and thought of all the good times Kenya, Tyson, Claire and I had shared; I came to the conclusion that I wouldn't trade it away for anything. Not even for my old life.

My keen ears pricked up at the sound of rustling in the bushes, and my lips curled back in a feral snarl. A Cherubi hopped into the clearing, saw me, and frantically bounced back; screeching in terror. I sighed and lay down with my head in between my paws. Was I really that scary?

Leah moaned in her sleep, rolled over, and sat up; stretching in a cat-like manner.

"Mornin' Shadow," she mumbled, eyes heavy-lidded.

I rose and padded silently over to her, and licked her cheek in greeting. Leah shivered in the cool morning air and shrugged on a faded old sweatshirt. Then, she hit Julie in the head with a pillow; waking her up. Not at all a morning person, Julie got dressed groggily and did not speak.

Nothing of importance occurred until we came across an elderly bug catcher. Pumped about Kenya's evolution, Leah ecstatically challenged him to a battle.

He frowned at her. "Don't you idiot newbie trainers get it? Not _everyone_ wants to battle on your terms." He glanced down at me. "Besides, your little puppy here would be no match for my lovely Pinsir."

I growled at that, but Leah dejectedly motioned for us to leave. I guess not every Pokémon trainer is itching for a battle 24-7.

It wasn't long, however, before we came across a regular trainer as equally stoked about battling as Leah.

"Hiya, I'm Cody," he chirped. He looked to be nearly identical in age to Leah. She smiled and shook his hand. "Say, want to battle?" he asked her.

"You bet I do! My Pokémon could definitely use the experience," mumbled Leah.

"Hey; I think I'm pretty fuckin' awesome already," I barked.

"Do you have six Pokémon?" he asked, ignoring my protests.

"Well… no. I have four."

He smiled wickedly. "Awesome. Then a four-on-four it is. You can choose first."

Leah nodded at me. "Go for it, Shadow."

I calmly stalked onto the field; completely confident, and ready for whatever he threw my way.

"Go, Machop!"

Well… except _that_.

"Shadow, you're gonna have to compensate for that type disadvantage. Use Firefang!"

I sprung at the humanoid Pokémon, who agilely leapt to the side. I snarled angrily as it used Karate Chop on my back. Sure; I've taken some hard hits in my Pokémon life. But let me tell you; getting hit by a super-effective move hurts worse than anything you could ever experience. Ever.

"Good Machop! Now, use Bulk Up!"

"Firefang, Shadow."

I darted over and clamped down on the Machop's arm; and it wriggled in pain. It had been glowing an odd greenish color, but when it ceased; I let go.

"Shadow, use Thunderfang!"

"Machop! Take the hit, and then use Revenge!"

"Wait, Shadow, I take that back…"

It was too late. I could barely hear the commands over the pounding of my heart. I got the Machop around the neck this time, and electricity fried his slate grey skin. It cried out in pain, and then pushed me off. Its eyes glowed red, and then it roared. I succumbed to the darkness as I was knocked out cold by the enraged Machop.

I assume Leah used a Revive on me; because I faintly remember Kenya electrocuting the shit out of the Machop.

"Good work, Kenya!" whispered Leah; much more calm in battle than her older sister had been.

The Luxio grinned broadly. "Why thank you, Miss Leah!"

Cody patted his Machop, and then recalled it. "You're up, Bulbasaur," he cried as his second Pokémon materialized.

The squat Pokémon blinked as it stared at the Kenya. _Saur._

"Bulbasaur, Tackle!"

"Kenya, Charge."

Kenya barely winced as the blue grass-type bounced off of her. She drew in as much electric energy as she could; so much her fur crackled and stood on end.

"Good, Kenya, now use Spark!"

"Bulbasaur, dodge and use Vine Whip."

Bulbasaur lazily attempted to roll out of Kenya's way, but she was too fast. The super-charged electric move didn't do much, however, and Bulbasaur countered with Vine Whip. He constricted Kenya, and then flung her into a nearby tree. She yelped as she made impact, and then snarled. Resorting to what she knew would work; Kenya ignored Leah's order for a Tackle attack and began running circles around the sluggish grass-type. When she had become a blue blur; she would dart in an use Bite.

Leah watched; amazed as Kenya dealt serious damage. But just when we thought Kenya had defeated it, Cody surprised us once again.

"Bulbasaur, now use Leech Seed!"

Roots sprung from the ground and wrapped themselves around Kenya's legs. She fell with a thud to the ground; and we watched in frustration as they began sapping her energy. Unable to move; Kenya watched helplessly as the Bulbasaur fed off her energy. It was then that I realized Kenya didn't know a single range attack.

Leah seemed to realize this too, after scrolling through the list of Kenya's attacks on the Pokedex. The Luxio weakly protested when recalled to her Poké Ball.

"Sorry, Kenya. It's hopeless though," explained Leah once Kenya was safe on the sidelines with me.

She plopped down at my side with an exhausted sigh. "Cody is a good trainer," she commented; sounding winded.

I merely nodded. Admitting someone was better than us was above my maturity level then.

"Claire, come on out!"

Claire gave her best attempt at a ferocious roar. It didn't matter. One well-aimed Flamethrower easily took out the lazy Bulbasaur. Cody seemed to have expected this, and reluctantly sent out his next Pokémon. A Bronzor appeared; and made an odd clanking sound as its battle cry.

"This is my newest Pokémon!" yelled Cody. "I want to see how it does in battle."

Leah smirked. "Too bad it's a Steel type!" she laughed, checking her Pokédex.

His face fell. "Yeah… well I didn't get a Pokédex, so how was _I_ supposed to know?"

When she didn't answer him, he growled and began battle. "Bronzor, use… uh, Extrasensory!"

"Claire, Flamethrower!"

The metal dinner-plate of a Pokémon hissed in pain as flames engulfed it, though it was hurting Claire pretty bad as well. She had her claws digging into her temples; groping her head in pain as Bronzor attacked her mentally. When the attack subsided, Bronzor ended up in better condition than our favorite little Charmander. She huffed and puffed, and then unexpectedly fired a Flamethrower at Bronzor.

It clanked in pain, and wavered in mid-air. It managed to continue levitating, but this battle was nearly over.

"Claire, finish it off with Ember!"

"Bronzor, quick! Use Confuse Ray!"

The tiny flame and the ray of confusion were fired at the same time; and both hit their respective targets. The Bronzor fell to the ground with a loud clatter; and was quickly recalled by Cody. Claire stumbled backwards; and became cross-eyed. I wasn't sure whether to be concerned or bust out laughing.

Leah groaned inwardly. "Claire, can you battle?"

"Okay as can do when eating flying blueberry waffles made by the magical flying purple Chimchars!" chirped Claire as she continued to stumble around; drool coming out of the corner of her mouth.

Leah seemed to grasp the concept. "Uh… return, Claire."

The tension was rising. We had no choice but to put Tyson into battle. Cody, however, had his selection of any of his three remaining Pokémon. It was up to chance what he would pick. He looked over his Poké Balls, glanced questioningly at Leah, and then picked the middle one.

"Go, Swellow!"

I whooshed out a breath of relief. We had the type advantage.

"Go, Tyson!" hollered Leah. Even _she_ was excited about this one.

The Cranidos cackled insanely upon arrival to the battle. "Tyson will rip pathetic birdie to shreds!"

It was then I noticed Kenya twitching slightly, though she seemed to be able to hold herself from violence. Leah's smile turned to a frown quickly as she noticed Tyson's crappy moveset. The only attacking moves were Headbutt, Pursuit, and Take Down. Not a _single_ rock-type move. But I knew she was formulating a plan; because she was stalling so well.

"Tyson, follow that Swellow! Don't let it get out of your sight. If it swoops down, use Headbutt!"

He nodded in affirmation; but it was a daunting task. The Swellow was incredibly fast. Tyson's technique bought us a little time; though the Swellow quickly figured out she could fake him out and then dart in and use Wing Attack. Although it wasn't super-effective, it would slowly wear down Tyson.

"Tyson, use Scary Face repetitively," commanded Leah calmly after much consideration.

Julie tapped her on her shoulder. "Uh… Lee? What good will that do?"

"Swellow's only strong point is its speed. When you take that away; you level the playing field."

Julie raised an eyebrow, and then nodded in agreement. "Yeah… that actually makes sense! That's why _you_ became the Pokémon Trainer."

When I returned my attention to the battle; Tyson had just managed to Headbutt the greatly slowed bird. It was still faster than him; but not by much. They parried back and forth; and eventually Tyson's constant battering of the bird took its toll. The Swellow began weakly flying towards a tree; wanting to land. But Tyson followed hot on her trail; preparing a massive Headbutt attack with his momentum.

Seeing the battle as a lost cause, Cody suddenly withdrew his bird Pokémon and forked over the prize money; looking rather dejected as he shook Leah's hand. Tyson, however, had gained so much momentum that he slammed into the tree with a sickening crack. He fell flat on his ass; and moaned.

"Ouch. Well don't I just feel like an idiot?" Kenya and I exchanged glances, and then I grinned excitedly. If nothing else; at least Tyson was back to normal now.

* * *

**A/N: Next Chapter, we get to Pewter City. YAY!**

**I hope you have a nice Labor Day weekend everyone! Please review!**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	38. Not What You'd Expect

**A/N: Let's have a sum-up of the past few chapters, shall we?**

**RECAP...**

**34: Olive kidnapped and seduced Manny with Attract, Wes killed off another Rocket Grunt, and Shelley literally scared the shit out of Simon**

**35: Entered Viridian Forest, trash-talked bug catchers, discussed the logic behind donuts, and Kenya evolved.**

**36: Manny and Olive mate, Kit found out and ran off to become as powerful as possible after destroying his TM collection, and this was the first chapter I openly admitted to Kit being Kelly as a reborn.**

**37: We had one badass battle, and Tyson started speaking normal again. Huzzah.**

**Next couple of chapters; I plan to have a recap. So it doesn't get this long again.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Eight: 

Not What You Expect

The sunlight that streamed through the tree branches had never been so welcome. Since our last battle; we had descended into the darkest, thickest part of Viridian Forest. I had been in heaven; but apparently the perpetual darkness wasn't fun for anyone else.

"Hey! I can see the sunlight. We're almost there!" squealed Julie excitedly.

She began running down the path; where the trees parted and the heat was unbearable. Kenya and Tyson dashed after her, and Leah giggled. "Wait up, Julie!"

Claire and I hung back; me for dislike of sunlight, and her for lack of speed.

"You know… this is a lot different from traveling with Kelly," commented Claire as she kicked a rock out of the way.

Curious as to what brought this subject up, I decided to play along. "How do ya mean?"

She sighed heavily, "It's just… Kelly was more mature. Somewhat. I just don't understand how humans can give their young offspring a kiss, a little cash, and an under-trained Pokémon and send them out into this world. It's… irresponsible. Unrealistic."

I tilted my head in thought, and then squinted as we entered the glary world outside of Viridian Forest. Pewter City was visible in the distance.

"You make a good point. But I have no answer to your question. I was an orphan in my human life."

She visibly paled, and then began blushing profusely. "Oh Mew, Shadow. I had no idea… I'm so sorry!"

I snorted. "Don't be. You can't miss what you never had. I never knew them on a personal level, so their deaths mean nothing to me," I said simply; shrugging it off.

She opened her mouth as if to protest, but thought better of it and sighed instead.

The path leading to Pewter City was a relatively straight one; and we had no challengers for battle. Julie and Leah were desperately trying to come up with battle tactics; which I personally felt was a lost cause. We had a Luxio and a Charmander that would both suck when pitted against Brock's Pokémon, a Cranidos knowing only normal-type moves… and who would suck if a single ground move was used. And… then there was me. I had done considerably bad against Roark's Geodude… and biting rock Pokémon hurt like hell. Solution?

"I seriously need to get a water type."

Julie nodded. "Yeah… that could possibly help. Any come to mind as to what you want?"

Leah appeared thoughtful for a moment, before an amused look spread over her cheerful face. "I think… no, it's stupid."

Julie smiled and elbowed her friend. "Oh c'mon; it can't be _that _bad."

"I... I kinda want to catch a Magikarp. I know... Gyarados have a reputation for being temperamental, but they're powerful. I'd like to train one."

The thought of tiny, skinny, pale girl commanding a Gyarados around was enough to make me crack up. When I realized she was serious, I shut my mouth. Her image just didn't scream 'dragon tamer' to me at the time.

I suppose I should use this opportunity to describe ten-year-old Leah Walsch in more detail than that day Kelly received mail. Her ivory skin was so pale and white that it was blinding in the bright sunlight. Freckles dusted her nose and gaunt, high-set cheekbones. Her nose was slightly upturned; and a tad too small for her face. Her eyes were large; slightly bulbous, and sparkling sapphire blue. The dark, coffee colored hair hung loosely just past her shoulders; when it wasn't hanging in a loose ponytail, that is. Leah was impatient with her hair; as many kids her age would be. Stick thin and bony; naturally Leah was flat-chested. Doesn't that go without saying? And then... there was Julie.

Unlike Leah; Julie was twelve, and a bit more filled out. Her naturally larger build, and better health, allowed her to keep her baby fat; and her slightly chubby cheeks made her appear even younger than Leah. Her smaller nose and tiny eyes reminded me somewhat of a mouse. Her jet black hair gleamed like polished crow feathers; sleek and shiny. It hung straight as string down to her shoulders. Her hazel eyes were always glistening with open-hearted friendliness. She was much tanner than Leah; and about an inch taller. She was far from fat; but she was certainly not sickly-skinny, as was Leah.

Watching them banter back and forth brought an unfamiliar pang of sadness to me. I had lacked childhood friends. Perhaps that is the reason why I took such interest in their childish antics.

Julie genuinely tried to keep a straight face, but cracked when Leah folded her arms and began to pout.

"What? You don't think I could do it?" demanded Leah; a crease forming across her brow as she frowned in frustration.

"It's not that," said Julie though her chuckles, "it's just… not what I see you training. Why not find a Buizel? Or… perhaps a Wooper. They're pretty good; they're only effected by grass-type moves…"

Leah rolled her eyes. "Every retard and their grandmother owns a Buizel. And Quagsire give me the creeps. No; I want a Gyarados."

That settled; I dropped out of the conversation; not that anyone noticed. I was beginning to get a nasty feeling in the pit of my stomach; probably a result of the damn heat stroke I was doomed to get. As Pewter City drew ever nearer; I noticed that I was not the only one whom had fallen silent. Kenya was noticeably nervous; walking directly behind Leah and shying away from the few Kanto natives who roamed beyond the city limits. I continued to walk boldly; not willing to display my uneasiness around them. It was okay for them to fear me; so long as they chose not to act on impulse.

It was only a few minutes later that I felt someone was watching us. A prickling feeling crept down my spine; and a low growl involuntarily escaped my maw. Claire noticed, and turned to see whom this had been directed at. I looked too; and noticed an elderly man stalking us; about a hundred yards back. I barked once; and was inwardly praising Mew for giving me a much more intimidating voice in this cruel world.

When he realized he had been spotted, he idly strolled over to us. Leah had turned and was eying him warily. Tyson had a placid look plastered on his snout; obviously deep in thought.

"Why hello there, ladies. I just happened to overhear your conversation… and I thought I'd point out that you can't find any wild water Pokémon 'round these parts. Pewter City is… _bland_."

Being shy; Leah just blushed and nodded. Julie, however, seemed overcome with sadness. "Ooh… that's _terrible_!"

The older man grinned; revealing rotting teeth. "I do, however, have a pond in me backyard. You're welcome to it. It has Goldeen, Finneon, Slowpoke, Magikarp-"

"That would be great!" said Leah rather excitedly; cutting the man off.

His smile was warm. "Super. You gals can follow me up there. I'll even give you a Poké Ball to catch whatever ya fancy. But… since the pond is there for my pleasure; you can only catch one thing. You see; water Pokémon have kept me company since I was a wee lad. Actually; there's a grand story about that…"

I became bored; my stomach gurgling. I was terribly nauseous.

_Think, Shadow. What do canines do when they are feeling sick… Oh hell no. _

I remembered one day, back when I had been in school, we had had an outdoor assembly about stranger safety. An officer had been there with her Growlithe. Although the speech and 'values' gained from the experience are a blur to me; there was one thing stuck vividly in my mind. One of the kids had fed the Growlithe a bag of candy while the officer talked; totally unaware. Afterwards, the Growlithe ate grass. Was it to soothe its nausea?

My stomach lurched again and a wave of dizziness washed over me; leaving me cold and clammy.

_Okay, seriously. I am going to throw up._

Willing to try anything; I ran over to a patch of grass, stared hesitantly at it, and then gobbled some of it down. The taste was… indescribable.

No, you idiot. In the _bad_ way.

I spat it onto the ground, and then wretched all over. Okay; so it definitely wasn't used as a fucking stomach soother.

As my stomach continued to churn, I miserably sauntered back to the group; whom were all staring at me questionably. The taste of bile clung to the back of my throat as another wave of nausea swept over me.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Claire; eyes deep with concern.

I swallowed the burning feeling and coughed. "Feel sick. I thought… I ate grass. To _keep_ from throwing up. But it tasted so bad…"

I trailed off after getting a look of bewilderment from Claire.

"You're silly, Uncle Shadow. We eat grass to _make_ us throw up. So you can cleanse your system and not get sick!" Kenya said through her amiable smile.

I weakly growled. "You should have told me. That shit's disgusting."

A buzzing pain seared my head then; and the nausea caused me to vomit again. Claire side-stepped away from me; snout crinkled up in slight disgust. Kenya continued walking next to me; seemingly unfazed.

"Are you okay, Uncle Shadow? You don't look so good."

I shrugged it off; and my nausea lifted a bit. Ever so slightly.

We arrived at the man's house, located on the edge of town, and he indeed had a pond in his backyard. Three Masquerain zipped away from us; and a Surskit skidded across the surface. A Buizel poked its head above the surface, saw us, and quickly swam to the opposite end.

"Here you are," said the man as he handed Leah a Super Rod and a Poké Ball. "One shot, kiddo. Go for it."

Julie grinned and nodded at Leah, whom shyly took the fishing rod.

"Do you think she'll get the Magikarp?" asked Kenya naïvely.

"Of course she will," snorted Tyson, "my left foot could catch a Magikarp. In fact; it's impossible to go fishing and _not_ find one."

This had a certain truth behind it. But it mattered not to me. My stomach felt like a washing machine full of water. I moaned and debated eating the grass again.

"Here goes nothing…" sighed Leah, tossing the lure into the water.

It lazily bobbed up and down on the surface; teasing the inhabitants of the pond. When it jerked down beneath the surface; Leah gasped. The line began to go slack as whatever it was rested at the bottom of the pond. The man stared incredulously at the ten-year old, before screaming, "Well don't just stand there, lass! Reel it in! Before the line breaks!"

Leah jumped at his sharp-tongued remark, and then began furiously reeling in our Magikarp. But what came out of the water; spluttering and wailing, was anything_ but_ a Magikarp...

* * *

**A/N: What is wrong with Shadow??? What did Kelly reel in??? And more importantly, why are you reading this instead of reviewing????**

**Just kidding. As a reminder; poll's up. You decide who the next chapter of LITM Chronicles is about.**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	39. Only You

**A/N: Hello again, readers. Let's summarize last chapter, shall we?**

**RECAP: Got out of Viridian Forest, got stalked by a creepy old dude who talked funny, went to his house to capture a Magikarp, and ending up catching something that was very much _not_ a Magikarp. What fun.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Nine: 

Only You

Have you ever had one of those 'holy-mother-fucking-shit-I-can't-believe-it' moments?

Mine came one particularly sweltering day towards the end of summer. In an old man's backyard. By a pond _teeming_ with Magikarp. But did my trainer manage to reel one in? Not a chance in fucking hell.

Picture this if you will; a skinny, white as chalk girl reeling in a blubbering, spluttering yellow creature with the hook in its ass.

"Only a Walsch could manage to _not_ catch a fucking Magikarp," I grumbled.

The old man expertly pulled the hook from the flesh of our new team member and explained he would be fine.

"Well," started Julie, rubbing the back of her neck with one hand, "at least it's not a Wooper."

Claire looked at me, then at our pathetic new team member, and back. Then, she burst into a fit of giggles; laughing so hard the occasional snort could be heard. Tyson glanced sideways at me.

"Oh c'mon. Even I, the prehistoric fossil, know that the majority of these Pokémon are all retarded! _Seriously!_ We have the worst freakin luck!"

Kenya chomped down on his tail and he yelped in pain. She released him and eyed him menacingly. "Be nice. He can't help who he is, and you aren't one to judge. You act like a retard half of the time too, so just be nice."

Seriousness set aside, she happily bounded over to the awesomeness that was our Psyduck. "Hi there! My name is Kenya. You're going to travel with us on our fantabulous Pokémon Journey!"

The Psyduck visibly winced; cradling its head in its hands. "Well don't I just feel utterly privileged?" it snorted in a nasty tone.

Kenya didn't notice; she was too busy rattling off questions. "Are you a boy or a girl? What's your favorite flavor of ice cream? Birthday? What's your _name?" _she asked sweetly.

"My gender is male, mint chocolate-chip with whipped cream, my birth date is unknown to even I, and my name is Percival. You, however, may call me Percy, incompetent little Luxio."

She squealed in a high-pitched voice, thrilled to no end with his presence. He moaned as his perpetual migraine worsened. Kenya smiled and began chatting away, and I joined Claire with my own cackling.

Leah rubbed her temples methodically, then bleakly faced the Psyduck. "Uh… you wanna travel with us?"

Percy cocked his head to the side, and then sighed; mimicking her actions by rubbing his head as well.

"Very well, human. I suppose I have nothing else with which to consume my time. Although I should think you would owe me a proper apology; that was a quite undignified way of drawing me to the surface of the pond. Could you not have done it in a more stately manner?"

Kenya brushed up against me; sidling up and shooting me a questioning look. "Why is he talking like that? Is he foreign? And what does he mean by… all those big words?"

I sighed heavily and put it into words she could comprehend. "He thinks Leah should say sorry for stabbing him in the ass with a hook and dragging his sorry ass to the fucking shore."

She smiled brightly as understanding washed over her. "Oh, okay! Thanks Uncle Shadow!"

Percy disappeared in a crooked flash of pink light as Leah made it official under the eye of the old man. Then he appeared once again; blinking and moaning about his head.

We promptly left; and entered Pewter with no further distractions. Kenya, Mew love her, continued to pester Percy with her questions; bringing me back to the day we had obtained Tyson.

Percy finally screamed; stubby, pudgy yellow arms outstretched to the sky. "Tell me, adolescent electric being. Do your lips ever cease to flap?"

Kenya hushed at this; perhaps the concept finally permeated her thick skull.

Tyson snorted at this, and then spoke; his voice flat and dull. "Dude, no wonder your head is always hurting. I'm getting a fucking migraine just _listening_ to you talk."

I hadn't partaken in the snide comments in his expense. My stomach was lurching back and forth, like an unsettled ocean during a hurricane. It sloshed side to side with every movement I made, and it began to disturb me a bit. I had never felt so… weird. Not just sick… but abnormal. Supernatural. My legs felt heavy as lead… and yet they shook and were weak. My fur clumped to my skin; I had long ago broken into a cold sweat. My head would feel fine one moment, and then a dull ache would spread from the base of my neck to my forehead.

I noticed Claire eying me in a concerned way every now again, or so I thought. Perhaps I was just imagining things.

Pewter City is, in a word… bleak. Dull, grey, boring, monotonous, humdrum, mundane; any of these words would fit the bill. The streets were grey flagstone, the buildings all slate grey, stone, or brick. Few people, or Pokémon for that matter, roamed the streets; and just being there caused me to yawn.

"You need a name, little Psyduck," said Leah as she looked down at him.

"Human, I would prefer you did not comment on my minute size. And at present time; I already possess a name!"

Julie jumped up and down excitedly. "Do you think _I_ could name him, Lee? I would just _love_ that!" she squealed.

"Well, what have you got?" asked Leah in a flat voice; still disappointed she had not reeled in a useless red fish instead.

"Well, we could name him Brain… he's always got a migraine, and doesn't act all that smart…"

I snorted. He was a fucking Pokémon prodigy. Amazing how very wrong a person can be.

"Young lady; I can guarantee my intelligence far surpasses your own," Percy said exasperatedly.

Leah wrinkled up her nose at the name. "Really, Jules. _Brain_? I have to call this name out in battle! Can't you just hear me screaming dramatically, 'Brain, use Water Gun! Excellent work, you beat the Gym Leader, _Brain. _Look Jules; Brain is _evolving_!'."

Julie grinned sheepishly, and then let out a short laugh. "Okay… so I see your point. But I still want to name him. How about… Dante?"

Leah seemed to mull this over in her head. Percy, however, leapt from the ground and began quacking excitedly.

"Yes, yes! Dante is _quite_ the exceptional name! It means lasting, enduring, and resolute. A remarkable name for a remarkable Psyduck!"

Leah caught on, and finally agreed. "Yeah, sure. Why not. C'mon, Dante. Let's get you to a Pokémon Center."

Dear Reader, have you ever watched a Psyduck walk? It must have been hard for Dante to maintain his dignity. Psyduck waddle; tiny tail swinging back and forth. Although Dante can't help it; he looks like those slutty girls that purposefully swing their hips to get attention from perverted guys. His big webbed feet slap the ground, and he moans about every five steps due to his eternal migraine. It also must take a certain amount of talent to not fall while your hands are dedicated to clutching your head.

We finally reached the Pokémon Center as the sun was beginning to set; yawning and exhausted from our escapades around the city. My stomach had been calmed a little bit; when we had gone to a small diner, Dante had shown me that peppermint candies were helpful in soothing a nasty stomach. I stole the entire bowl of them. Hey, they _were_ complimentary.

My head, however, continued to throb. I sympathized with Dante, now.

As Leah reached for the room key the Nurse Joy was handing her, time froze. I frantically looked around; and realized that _nothing_ was moving. At first, I was somewhat confused. But then, I saw her. And all at once; questions flooded my head.

_"Hello, Daniel,"_ she said tentatively, her beautiful voice echoing in my head. I winced.

"Celebi, how can you show your face to me! You knew Kelly was going to die, and you didn't even warn me! I could-" I paused as she zoomed forward and pressed a delicate finger to my snout; eyes narrowed.

_"Now you listen to me, Daniel. First of all; you are a Pokémon now, whether you like it or not. I am a legendary; and it is expected of you to treat me as such. That is no way to talk to one who can explain so much, and who risked her life for you. Now shut up and listen to me, or so help me I will beat the living shit out of you." _

My eyes bulged, and my jaw dropped a bit. Seeing she had made her point, she relaxed a little bit and floated to the countertop, where she sat.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled; cheeks tinted red. "I'll listen now."

Her expression softened, and she began talking. _"To begin with… do you know what my biggest limitation is?" _

I found this an odd way to begin an apology, but I shook my shaggy head nonetheless.

_"So I'm guessing you didn't know that I can only safely travel to time periods of peace?" _

Again, I shook my head. I was completely lost.

_"Ah. I see. Well; when I teleport to a time period full of angst, sadness, and pain; it slowly kills me off. If I didn't know so many healing moves…" _She paused and used Heal Bell; ignoring the shocked look on my face. _"If I didn't know so many healing moves, I'd be more than dead by now. Now; do you remember anything about the night you died?" _

I was getting frustrated. Have I ever mentioned I'm not very patient?

"Of course I do, Celebi. But how is this relevant-"

_"I was devastated you had died, dumbass! Don't you think if the future was always clear to me, I would have seen that coming!?" _

Realization struck me like a hammer to a nail. "So… you didn't see Kelly's death coming until it was too late. If you had stayed to warn me, or help me, you would have been killed by the impending sorrow."

Her tiny body went limp in relief. _"Yes. I'm so glad you figured that out on your own; I wasn't looking forward to explaining that part. But in the aftermath of her death… I've been up to some incredible fun. Care to hear about it?" _

I grinned wickedly; knowing her unique, zany sense of humor would cheer me up in a heartbeat.

* * *

**A/N: We'll hear more from Celebi in the next chapter. And what do you guys think of the new addition to the team? XD **

**The poll is getting heated. So far it's a tie for Kenya and Tyson, with Shelley pulling a close second. And 11 people have voted. So; if you want a certain character to be featured in the next LITM Chronicles spotlight, you better get to the poll and vote! I think I'll keep it up there for a few more days.**

**Fun fact: I posted the previous chapter on 9-9-09. The amount of words in the story total? 74,999. How many reviews did I have by midnight that night? 99. I thought it was kinda cool. Though I'm not superstitous. **

**Oh, one more thing. If you guys enjoy this story, it would mean a lot if you could advertise a bit. Whether it is through quoting one of the characters, or just saying to a friend, "Hey, this story is the shit, you should totally read it sometime", it would help. (: **

**Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think of the incredibly intelligent Psyduck! **

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	40. Night

**A/N: I feel like it's been a long time since I last updated. Oh well, hope this makes up for it.**

**RECAP: Named our accidentally captured Psyduck Dante, Celebi explained herself to Daniel/Shadow. In other words... not much happened. **

* * *

Chapter Forty: 

Night

"So let me get this straight. You castrated Greg and nearly killed Arceus… all in the same night?"

She grinned sheepishly, _"Yes little one. That is correct." _

I shook my head in disbelief. "Shit. Must be hella fun to be a legendary." She chuckled bemusedly.

"You know; I had always wondered how Claire, Tyson, and Kenya got to Kanto. You were probably behind that too, huh?"

Celebi shrugged. She had never been one for modesty; but bragging had it's place. This was not it.

_"Eh… some things just happen for a reason, Daniel. But anyways; there is something else I must discuss with you. I had other reasons for coming other than telling of my escapades since Kelly's death. It has to do with your nausea." _

My ears perked up considerably. I was anxious to know the cause of them.

_"Have you ever heard of alert canines?" _

Confused, I shook my head. She opened her mouth to reply, but thought better of it. _"You know what… forget it. You'll figure it out on your own. I, however, must be getting back to Ilex Forest. I've been neglecting it for a few days… catching up with an old friend." _

I shot her a questioning look, but she made no attempt to soothe my rising curiosity. She winked, and then evaporated from my view.

* * *

Time resumed its flow, and I sat quietly; more than disappointed. Sure; she had meant well, but she had aroused more questions than answered them.

"You okay?" asked Claire.

"Yeah… I am," I mumbled dejectedly.

"Then stop moping around like a fucking baby. Suck it up; life is pretty good right now."

I looked up at her, and then sighed. Damn females are always right.

The hotel room was surprisingly colorful; although the lavender walls and carpeting were a tad frou-frou for my liking.

Julie and Leah were both exhausted. They flopped onto their respective beds and both sighed in relief. Kenya hopped onto the bed Julie was occupying and curled up next to her. Julie wistfully smiled; stroking the blue fur gently as she hummed inaudibly. Tyson and Dante took to the floor; neither one particularly interested in sleeping next to a trainer. Claire claimed the armchair in the corner for herself; careful to keep her tail away from the flammable material.

Leah sighed as she lay down to sleep; and I curled up with my back to hers. When her chest had began to rhythmically rise and fall, I allowed myself to drift into a deep slumber; blissfully unaware of the chaos that was to come.

* * *

Grace landed lightly on her feet, and silently padded away from her master's bed. The images of his latest murder had haunted her in her dreams, and she needed a good run. Silently thanking the legendaries for her swift feet, she began trotting down the road. The night air would normally have chilled her; but the inner fire that burned deep inside her never flickered.

A single crisp, brown leaf danced on the slight breeze, twirling downward in an elaborate dance she could not help but enjoy. When it finally came to an end, and the lone leaf lay still on the pavement, she resumed her pace. She had become a deep thinker throughout her years; and she pondered many things. So she naturally found that the leaf's dance was like life.

You're born, you flourish, and then you fall. Whether or not you fall gracefully is your decision. Either way; you hit the ground hard.

The woods surrounding the road she took were dense. A thick fog had settled in, and the damp humidity clung to her fur and suppressed her. The patches of fog made seeing difficult, but she managed to pick her way through. When she came to the lone park bench, about a hundred feet away from the road, she leapt onto it and curled into a ball. The lullabies sang by the Kricketune gently coaxed her into a peaceful sleep.

_Out of sight, out of mind._He stared at the leather pouch with increasing interest. When his curiosity peaked, he plucked at the leather strips keeping it tied together. Nothing.

* * *

"Go… away! Make it stop, make it stop! Leave me… ALONE!"

The Natu hopped over to his friend and pecked her lightly on the head to wake her. Freed from her nightmare, she panted heavily.

"Simon… the blue eye, it was back," she sobbed.

In the quiet dark, he hushed her and brushed away her tears with his multi-colored wing. Her incoherent babbling had done nothing but worsen the past few nights. She had been constantly tormented in her sleep, the nightmares ravaging her tiny, fragile state.

Shelley mumbled a thank you, and then resumed her fitful slumber. The tiny bird watched the Turtwig toss and turn; knowing she wouldn't get any sleep until these nightmares ceased. And neither would he.

Simon rubbed his tiny eyes and blinked repeatedly. He wrapped a talon around the leather pouch, and the other around her head leaf. Then, his eyes glowed blue, and they vanished.

* * *

Shimmering lime green eyes pierced the night sky, and at his presence the Pokémon surrounding Lake Verity shivered and dispersed. His expression hardened as he entered the cavern; not wanting to appear the least bit friendly. Intimidation was superiority, and this was his world he had created. Wasn't the meaning of his name 'The Original One'?

Smirk intact, he sauntered over to the three tiny beings from whom he sought assistance.

Uxie, the controller of knowledge, floated eerily, closed eyes fixated on the giant stag-like creature. His head faintly resembled a yellow brain.

To the left of Uxie was his sister, Mesprit; the being of emotion. The pink dreadlocks hung limply from her head, and her expression was grim.

Arceus narrowed his oddly colored eyes at the third and final creature in his presence. Azelf, the being of willpower, matched Arceus's menacing glare. His three bejeweled tails flicked in annoyance.

The giant stag broke the gaze, and began his speech. _"I have summoned you for my purposes. You see… I need your help. As you know, Celebi has crossed the line by becoming involved in mortal affairs. This cannot be tolerated, and so, I demand your assistance."_

Arceus heard a snort of laughter, and shot a venomous look at Azelf. _"What in the fucking hell are you laughing at, cone-head?"_ he snarled, eyes gleaming in fury.

Mesprit nervously glanced at her audacious brother, her eyes pleading with him to not endanger himself. As expected for the being on emotion, her worry was etched into her face.

Azelf looked to the ground, then abruptly back up at the menacing being that towered over him. His cat-like golden yellow eyes burned with fury, but he held it at bay.

_"You consider us your servants. You've told us on a regular basis how worthless we are. And now, you come demanding our cooperation, naturally expecting us to jump at the chance to help you?"_

Arceus stiffened at the harshly spoken words. He took a step back, and unleashed an extremely overpowering sound from his maw. The Hyper Voice move blasted the eardrums of the Lake Dwellers. Azelf winced and grunted at the intense pain. Mesprit screeched and began crying. Uxie made not a sound. His eyelids flickered, however, as if he had briefly toyed with the idea of snapping them open, and wiping clean the memories of his adversary. Thinking better of it, however, he simply remained silent.

_"As I was saying,"_ continued Arceus in a bone-chilling voice, _"Celebi should pay for her insolence. Since she lives under the protective wing of… Mew, I need to attack her indirectly. I will do this by torturing the things closest to her."_

Azelf raised an eyebrow. Mesprit sighed sorrowfully. Uxie stared at the back of his eyelids, pondering the relevance behind the meeting. Undeterred that no one moved to ask of his brilliant plan, Arceus malevolently grinned.

_"We target her mortals."_

~o0o~

When I awoke, I felt like I was on a boat. My stomach burned with nausea, and the bed was jerking back and forth.

I simply curled into a tighter ball, not awake enough to give a fuck as to what was going on. But when a weak shock of electricity crackled next to my face, I yelped and looked up to see Kenya. Her blue muzzle was tear-streaked, and her eyes were shifting nervously.

"Uncle Shadow, _please_ wake up! I'm scared… Leah is scaring me," she whimpered.

I mumbled profanities and rose to my feet. A limb swung into my foreleg, and I was sent tumbling off the bed. Instantly awake, I leapt back onto the end of the bed and gasped in horror. Leah was thrashing wildly, mumbling incoherent words, silent screams escaping her ever few seconds. In the soft lamplight, I could see her eyes flick side to side frantically, and then I retched when they rolled back into her head.

In a state of shock, not knowing what in the _hell_ was wrong with my trainer, I did the only thing I could do. I leaped from the bed, and plunged my forepaws into the squishy, downy feathered stomach of the Pokémon prodigy.

"FUCKING WAKE UP, DANTE!"

* * *

**A/N: Well... we've got a lot going on, now. Poll will close tomorrow. Thanks to all who voted! **

**Remember; feedback is always appreciated... (:**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	41. Judgment

****

A/N: RECAP... Last chapter: We got Grace's POV on Wes's killings, looked into how Simon and Shelley were faring, heard a bit from the sadistic bastard that is Arceus, and concluded with Leah having a freakishly wierd fit of some sort. (We find out what it was this chapter.)

* * *

Chapter Forty-One: 

Judgment

Never in my short Pokémon life did I think I would be grateful for a genius Psyduck.

Dante peeked over the bed to see Leah convulsing, and then ran to her bag and began rummaging through it. Julie's loud snores erupted behind us, accompanying her sleep-talking quite nicely. Kenya was still watching her trainer in horror, whimpering occasionally.

Unnerved by Leah's actions, I frantically pestered Dante for answers. "What the fuck's wrong with her!?"

"She's suffering from a Tonic-Clonic seizure," he said hurriedly.

"A tonic what?"

He ignored my question, though he turned to face me; a serious look clouding his expression. "Shadow, can you lift me onto the bed? Kenya, I need you to awaken Tyson and Claire, then get them onto the bed as well; I will be in need of their assistance."

I allowed the Psyduck to crawl onto my back, as well as Tyson. Claire, however, refused to be woken up, and Kenya retreated with a scorched tail.

I watched helplessly from the sidelines as Dante calmly and quietly gave Tyson commands, and together they rolled Leah onto her side.

"Why are you doing that?" squeaked Kenya nervously.

"This position will prevent aspiration," explained Dante as he cradled Leah's head to keep it from jerking.

Seeing Kenya's confused expression, he elaborated. "Aspiration is the accidental sucking of food particles or fluids into the lungs."

Kenya recoiled, and I vomited again. After a few minutes her breathing returned to normal. She then appeared to be in a peaceful slumber.

"Did she die?" asked Tyson abruptly.

The Psyduck shooed him off the bed, chuckling. "No. Her seizure has come to an end. Thank you for your assistance, Tyson," he said gently.

Tyson gave him a sarcastic salute, and then resumed his spot on the floor, asleep in a matter of moments. Dante watched Leah carefully a few minutes more, before sighing and scrambling off the bed.

"What were you looking for in her bag?" I asked him as he sat on the floor and rubbed his temples.

Dante held up a tiny yellow fist, and a gleam of silver caught my eye. "An identification necklace she neglected to wear."

I shot him a questioning look, and he chuckled softly. "It shows medical officials that she has epilepsy."

He showed me the beads with lettering, but I noticed something strange. I couldn't understand them.

"How could you read that and understand it to be epilepsy?" I asked slowly, dread creeping in to my heart at my newest revelation.

The ability to read had always been something I had taken for granted. Sadly, it had taken becoming illiterate for me to realize that.

Dante grinned sheepishly, his flat beak curving up around the edges slightly. "I taught myself to read two years ago."

Playing along, I nodded. "Impressive. So Dante… I know this will sound dumb, but will she-"

He held up a hand. "She will be fine. Get some rest. If I'm not mistaken, we have a Gym Battle tomorrow?"

He grimaced as I accidentally stepped in my bile in an attempt to get back onto the bed. "And for Mew's sake, eat another peppermint."

Smiling, I realized I had judged this pudgy, super-intelligent Psyduck too harshly. He was level-headed, and without him, Leah might have gotten seriously hurt from her seizure. I was too busy pondering this to notice my stomachache had faded away.

Delighted with the newest member of our team, I drifted back to sleep; attempting to salvage what was left of the night before our big day.

* * *

Ilex Forest was silent as Celebi crawled from the hollow tree, stretching lazily and yawning. She experimentally fluttered her tiny wings, and then pushed away from her home and drifted to the nearby pond. She splashed water in her face, and gasped as the icy water nearly took her breath away. She noticed it was getting too dirty to wash with, and made a mental note to chew out Suicune for being lazy.

A dark shadow crossed over the green tinted water, and hovered above the tiny fairy. She rolled her eyes. _"Hello, Darkrai. What brings you to my lovely forest?"_ she chirped.

He appeared before her, and the single blue eye that was not obscured by his the flowing white substance she assumed was hair, glimmered mischievously.

_"What, not even the slightest bit frightened?"_

She cocked an eyebrow. _"…No. Now tell me, what brings you to Johto?" _

_"I assumed you would like to know that my nightmares finally got through to the Turtwig and Natu… they successfully teleported themselves to Kanto nearly an hour ago." _

Celebi bobbed her head, though her eyes were downcast. _"Fantastic. Thank you for your assistance. It is most appreciated…" _

They fell silent for a moment, awkwardness rising between them. It was the tiny green fairy whom broke the tension, as a scissor severs a string. _"Why did you travel all the way from Sinnoh just to tell me this, Darkrai? You could have easily sent an messenger Murkrow." _

The Nightmare Pokémon looked up at her quizzically. _"They are far from reliable. If I deliver the message myself; I know it gets done. Simple as that." _

When she didn't answer, he sighed heavily. _"I must go. Arceus already is about to have a conniption fit because I left my post. There is a New Moon tonight, after all." _

Celebi smiled faintly and playfully shooed him away. _"Go on, then. Can't be the poor soul who keeps you from conjuring nightmares and setting them upon innocent creatures, can I?" _

He smiled wistfully at her, bowed slightly, and then parted from her, his shadow disappearing as well. Celebi stared blankly where he had been moments before, and then shook herself vigorously, as if ridding herself of a bad feeling.

When a Poliwag hopped into the water behind her, she remembered her disgust with the pond. She was mere seconds away from summoning a messenger Butterfree when Darkrai's words echoed in her head. She hesitated, and then began flying to where the three legendary dogs resided.

It would be much more fun to bitch out Suicune face-to-face, she concluded.

* * *

The Leafeon hacked at the tree with her hardened tail, grunting with each impact. Perfecting her Iron Tail technique had taken time, but she had learned she could turn her tail into a lethal weapon; the equivalent of a machete.

The tree creaked, and then began to fall towards her. She hissed and began rapidly firing Energy Ball attacks at it. The repetitive blows slowed the tree's fall considerably, allowing her ample time to sidestep it as it fell.

She sliced the leaves from one branch of the fallen tree, and then used Razor Leaf. The freshly cut leaves were raised into the air along with the two that were conjured for her attack, and the deadly barrage sliced the surrounding trees of the forest.

Panting, the Leafeon lay down and promptly fell asleep; unaware of the hideous, lime green eyes that bored into the back of her head.

~o0o~

The three beings formed a semi-circle around the sleeping Leafeon. Their master watched from afar; his commands ringing through their heads to remind them of their specific emotions. 

**_Mortals cling to their knowledge as a baby clings to its mother. The first thing we must do, is strip her of the things that may help her. _**

Uxie floated forward, and his eyes fluttered open. His two tails flicked back and forth like a metronome as he manipulated her brain; salvaging some things and completely obliterating other things. When he came to a certain memory, he paused in his work.

**_And most important, we must make the things that destroy her most prominent. _**

Uxie magnified the death of her childhood friend, and then his eyes snapped shut abruptly. His expression was, as always, emotionless as he wearily floated back to his siblings. 

**_Emotional stability must be destroyed. Amplify negativity. Minimize optimism. _**

Mesprit sadly floated to the sleeping Leafeon, whom was crying out in her sleep. Her dreadlocks rose into the air and her eyes glowed as she toyed with the Leafeon's fragile state of emotions. When her tedious work was finished, she began crying. She weakly drifted back to her brothers, using her tails to wipe away her tears.

**_And now, for the most important of all. Drain her of the will to live, except for a tiny bit. Can't have her die; this will lose its amusement factor. Obliterate the desire to thrive, and any inspiration she might receive. _**

Azelf gritted his teeth irritably as he darted over to her. He knew not why Arceus took such pleasure in destroying the ones Celebi loved. What should it matter to him if she cared deeply for a handful of mortals?

He hesitated when he reached the wailing Leafeon; her bone-chilling howls unnerving him. His jewel glowed faintly with indecision, as he began to drain her willpower. Tears began streaming down her face, and she begged for mercy through her sleep.

Azelf stopped himself, and was shocked at what he had almost done. Who was he to decide her future? He knew nothing of her past. Of her feelings. And even if he did, it was not his place to wreak havoc on her life, just to spite a legendary he had no personal problem with.

He appeared thoughtful for a moment, and then the jewel adorning his forehead resumed its glowing. He increased her will to survive. He gave her the determination to overcome her weaknesses. The inspiration to get through the terrible mourning that would no doubt result from his siblings meddling. When he had finished his work, Azelf was dreadfully exhausted. He watched contentedly as she quieted down, and began to sleep peacefully once more.

He grimly realized, as he floated alongside his siblings; he was getting in way deeper than he ever wanted to be. But he had been on the verge of incurring the wrath of Arceus for nearly a decade, now. Might as well receive the Judgment attack for a good cause.

* * *

**A/N: To those who didn't know, A Tonic-Clonic seizure is a form of epileptic seizure that causes the person to stiffen suddenly, and then start jerking their limbs uncontrollably. My 8 year-old cousin has these ever now and again, and I thought having a slightly hindering disease might keep Leah from becoming a pathetic Mary-Sue. **

**The point of the Celebi bit was to let you know that Shelley and Simon _did_ in fact make it to Kanto. And so we are enlightened by her awesomeness (:**

**And lastly, Kelly doesn't have anything against trees... she was just training. XD**

**If you love this story, like, at all; you should review and vote on the poll for who's next in LITM Chronicles. (By the way, Tyson's chapter is up) The current choices are Simon, Shelley, Claire, and Kenya.**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	42. Mirage

**A/N: RECAP: Found out Leah has epilepsy, Simon and Shelley successfully teleported to Kanto, and Arceus continued in his bastardly ways by screwing Kit/Kelly up even more.**

**The Suicune & Celebi bit is dedicated to Reluisant Saphir Loup and Onatu. (:**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Two: 

Mirage

When she awoke, dawn was just peeking through the Pokémon Center window. She absentmindedly rubbed her friend's Luxio behind the ear, before jealous tears welled up in her eyes. They stung unbearably; the hot saltiness of them upsetting her even worse. She lightly eased herself from the bed, and stood there for a moment, eyes acclimating to the grey, fuzzy shade of the room. The only other source of light came from the Charmander curled up in the armchair; her blazing tail casting shadows across Julie's face.

She hesitated; wiping her eyes with the back of her bare arm. Then, she tiptoed to Leah's bag, and took what she had longed for all along. She stared at the object in awe, before slipping out the door completely unnoticed.

* * *

When Kit awoke, the first thing she noticed was that she had a wracking headache. The second thing she noticed was… she was crying?

Kit was incredulous as an unnatural wave of sorrow washed over her. _Why in the hell am I crying?_

She used her tail to wipe her overflowing water supply, but groaned dismally when tears continued to fall. She knew she was really, really sad; but for the life of her she couldn't remember why.

_Oh for the love of Mew. Is this moodiness one of the early signs of Pokémon menopause?_

As if on cue, a vivid image of Daniel was conjured before her. She slipped into a dreamlike state, and swayed back and forth on her slender legs. The boy staring back at her had luxurious, thick brown hair, clear blue eyes, smooth, tanned skin, and a stunningly white smile. Deep in her subconscious, Kit knew this wasn't the appearance of the boy she had loved. An urge deep down inside her motivated her to remember what he had really looked like.

The mirage before her slowly blurred, and then came into focus once more, with a much more familiar face. Shaggy, mousy brown hair, pale skin dotted with facial acne, jaunt cheekbones, and extremely dark brown eyes appeared before her for a split-second, and then vanished altogether.

The extreme sorrow once again plagued her, and she was paralyzed with her grief. _What is wrong with me?_

She shakily collapsed onto the ground; disoriented and scared. Despite the emotional instability thrust upon her, she felt the faintest, nagging urge to get through it. Something deep down in her heart told her it would all be worth it, in time.

* * *

The Surskit gracefully skimmed the water; leaving a rippling trail behind her. If she stopped; she would sink to the depths of the lake. But if she kept moving… she could skitter around the surface with ease. The gentle, warm breeze that had been caressing the treetops suddenly chilled, and roared as it began to blow faster. The disturbance to the water was subtle; but enough to throw the Surskit off. She darted to the banks and observed the approaching, magnificent beast in awe.

The blue, wolf-like creature had white, diamond shaped spots along her sides, and a white underbelly. White tassels that stemmed from her lower back streamed forward; causing the illusion that wind was always blowing behind her. In contrast, she had a billowing purple cape that flowed in the opposite direction. It faintly resembled a storm cloud. A crystalline, hexagonal shaped crest adorned her head.

Suicune lowered her elegant head to drink from the water, but when she noticed how murky the water was, she instead dipped a delicate paw into it. The ripples caused by her soft touch spread to every corner of the lake, and then it glowed. When the bright light faded, the water was so clear Suicune could see to the very bottom of the lake.

Satisfied, she dipped her muzzle to the water and took three long draughts. Her eyes raised as a tiny green reflection hovered in front of her. Suicune raised her head slowly, deliberately; water dribbling from her chin.

_"Good morning, Celebi. How nice to see you." _

The green pixie groaned. _"Sui, come on. This is no time for your damned formality. Now tell me; when's the last time you purified my lake?" _she demanded.

Suicune shook her head and chuckled at her spastic friend. _"If you insist, Celebi; I shall attempt to be informal. And I can't seem to recall the last time I visited your lake-" _

_"My point exactly!" _said Celebi exasperatedly as she tugged at her antennae in frustration. _"I mean, it's not like you have a particularly difficult occupation." _

Suicune chuckled and began to walk away from the pond. _"…Pardon me? My life's work is very tiresome-" _

Celebi snorted sarcastically_. "Really, Sui. You fucking touch water with your foot for a living. Don't tell me that's 'tiresome'." _

Suicune sighed good-naturedly. _"Celebi, purifying water doesn't just 'happen'. It drains a lot of energy. Energy that is hard to come by these days. And may I ask, what do you do with your time? Miss Guardian of Time and Forests? Attempt to murder giant white legendaries, cut off human body parts, and follow mortals around?" _

The high-strung fairy flung her arms down dramatically and her mouth gaped. Suicune placidly raised an eyebrow and waited calmly for an answer. When she got none, she began licking her paw in a cat-like manner.

_"Oh get real, Cel. Every legendary knows about it by now. Surely you had anticipated that." _

The green fairy scratched her head, and then exhaled slowly. _"Actually, no. That would be the first time I heard about that. Thanks for being so blunt." _

Her sarcastic and playful voice betrayed her feigned hurt. Suicune chuckled softly, _"Well then consider us even. It's been wonderful talking to you, Celebi, but I really must be going. I'm dreadfully busy putting my paw in water, you know." _

Celebi stuck out her tongue, and then darted over to her friend whom was stalking away. _"And just where do you have to be that is more important than bantering with me?" _

Suicune grinned sheepishly. _"I'm off to purify the lake near Ho-Oh's latest residence." _

Celebi gasped, _"What the hell! Did you not understand why I came to you!?" _

Suicune paused a final time in her departure. _"Celebi, I owe a lot Ho-Oh. Not you." _

Celebi grumpily put her three-fingered paws on her hips. _"Oh really. How so?" _she frumped.

Suicune rolled her eyes. _"Celebi, you and I may be friends, but you chew me out on a regular basis. Ho-Oh happens to be the bird that brought me, Entei, and Raikou into existence. Make sense now?" _she said sarcastically; smiling slightly.

Celebi matched her smile, and then shooed her away. _"Fine then. Go on, go expend your energy purifying elsewhere," _she said with a dry laugh.

Suicune stared at her spastic yet lovable friend with a kind expression, and then bounded off towards her next destination.

* * *

"I fucking hate this region. I fucking hate this forest. But most of all, I fucking hate this damned fucking HEAT!"

Simon shot Shelley a sideways glance, and then sighed. "Shelley, must you use such profanities? We managed to get to Kanto; shouldn't you be happy?"

She snorted, "Yes, it is fucking necessary to use fucking 'profanities'. And I'd rather take back the fucking nightmares than stay in this sweltering hell-hole!"

Simon merely winced at the stream of obscenities flowing from her mouth. The morning sunlight streamed through the tree branches; magnifying the suppressing humidity. Yes, although sad to say, he had become quite accustomed to hearing the F-bomb in at least every other sentence.

Simon stiffened when he heard footsteps to his left. "Uh… Shelley? I think we have company."

A trainer emerged from the brush; mumbling and clutching a Poké Ball.

"Shelley, run!" squeaked Simon as he hopped desperately away from the scrambling trainer.

"Oh great, just great. A fucking trainer. Hey bitch; think you can take-"

Shelley was cut short as Simon swooped down and pecked her on the head. "C'mon, Shelley! This is no time for being a grump!" he cried desperately.

Seeming to have gotten the message, Shelley began running after the fleeing Natu.

Simon flew as fast as he could. Humans scared him. When he was too tired to continue, and his frenzied flight was through, dread slowly crept into his heart.

Simon waited two hours; the entire time begging for Shelley to burst into sight, cursing and safe. When it finally hit him she wasn't coming, he littered the ground with his tears as he madly flew through the forest; ready to gouge out the eyes of the trainer whom had caught his beloved, schizophrenic Turtwig.

* * *

**A/N: I'll keep the poll up until the next chapter is posted. Please review!**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	43. Falling Into Place

**A/N: RECAP: Julie ran off with an unknown stolen item of Leah's, Kit suffered from the effect's of Arceus's bastardly-ness, found out that all the legendaries know Celebi's 'secret', and Shelley was captured by a trainer. :0**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Three: 

Falling into Place

The young girl excitedly held her newly captured Pokémon into the air, and the sun glanced off the Poké Ball. Giddy as a young school girl, she pressed the button and released her first Pokémon. Shelley blinked once, and then a second time, before screeching wildly and tackling the girl.

"You. Bitch. I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

"Ow! Twiggy, you're hurting me!" protested the girl in a whiny voice.

Shelley stopped dead in her tracks. _Twiggy?_ Realizing this was her new name, Shelley screamed again and began pounding her owner once again.

"You fucking selfish humans, always have to destroy anything good that ever fucking happens to me!" she wailed.

The girl managed to get away from the vicious turtle, and began backing away slowly. "Twiggy, I know you're probably upset, but I think you-"

"RWARRR!"

Shelley headbutted the girl in the stomach and growled as only she could. Her owner began sobbing. _How fucking pathetic._

Shelley turned and began to walk away; but to her dismay, the girl followed her. "Twiggy, where are you going? Why do you hate me so?" asked the girl in a shaky voice.

Shelley hissed, and then fired a Razor Leaf attack at the shocked girl. "Bitch, don't follow me!"

The girl dove to miss the leaves, and then firmed up a bit. "Listen, Twiggy. It's not like I'm going to battle with you, okay? I just need a companion Pokémon. And you're _so cute_."

Shelley howled in frustration. "DO NOT FUCKING CALL ME CUTE! If I were _cute, _I wouldn't be carefully plotting your death as we speak!"

The girl ignored the Turtwig's heated protests, and picked her up. Avoiding the snapping jaws, the girl did something the Turtwig had never experienced before. She began stroking her head, and messaged around her headleaf. Shelley sighed heavily and moaned at the wonderful sensation. Greg had never shown her any affection before.

The girl noticed the deep crack in the Turtwig's shell that was slowly beginning to heal over. "You poor thing! No wonder you're skittish around me."

Shelley snorted through her pleasure. "Skittish wasn't exactly the term I would have used."

Shelley relaxed; finally in the arms of a human that wouldn't harm her. But no matter how good it felt, she still could not let go of the fact that Simon was gone.

"When you get done massaging me; you are _such _a dead bitch."

* * *

He awoke with her by his side; as if she had never left. The massive headache that was a result of his grieving took his breath away. He shivered, and she was on his chest; her body unnaturally warm. Grateful for the warmth she brought, he coughed and went back to sleep; unaware of the liquid brown eyes that held so much hurt, concern, and fear.

Grace blinked to hold back the bitter tears that stung her eyes. She owed him everything. He had stuck with her through it all; and she couldn't let him waste away before her. The question was, _what_ could she do?

The Vulpix licked his cheek, and then jumped onto the floor. Nothing. He had to do it himself. He had to make the decision that he could continue living without Kelly. She was a simple Vulpix. There was nothing she could do for him now.

Broken-hearted at her revelation, she curled into a tight ball and sobbed. What if he chose alcohol and death over her? _God, if only I knew what to do…_

Her eyes darted to the bottles of alcohol lining the cupboards of the rented apartment. And suddenly… she wasn't so helpless anymore.

* * *

"You've got to be shitting me."

We had awoken from a night wrought with epileptic seizures to find an empty bed.

"Where could she have _gone_?" asked Leah in disbelief. "And more importantly, _why_ did she leave?"

I brushed up against her. "Cheer up, Leah. Who needs her?"

Claire whacked me with her tail. "Shadow, I swear; you're the most self-absorbed, insensitive Pokémon I've ever met. Julie is Leah's friend. How can you not care if we find her or not?"

I shrugged; her preaching not able to permeate my hard-headedness.

"She's right, Uncle Shadow. You could be more considerate," whispered Kenya.

"Whatever," I growled, "all I know, is that she had either show up in the next ten minutes or never come back; because she's keeping us from our first Gym battle in Kanto. At this rate, we won't even get to challenge the Elite Four in _two_ years!"

"For once, I agree with the canine," said Tyson from somewhere behind me.

Leah was in the bathroom changing into her official trainer's outfit she had bought the day before, and we were all sitting on the floor. Dante waddled over and interrupted our heated debate on whether or not we should give a shit.

"She hasn't left for good," he said slowly as he studied a particularly interesting tuft of carpeting.

"And just how do you know that, exactly?" asked Claire; clawed paws on her hips.

"Pokémon prodigy, remember?" whispered Tyson. Claire rolled her eyes.

Dante regarded her carefully, before enlightening us with his knowledge. "Her belongings are still here. Evidence so simple a kit could recognize it."

Claire stiffened at his condescending words, and the Psyduck realized his mistake. "Err, sorry Claire. That was not meant in an offensive way… just a truthful one."

Although a Pokémon prodigy, Dante lacked social skills. He yelped when Claire let loose a steady stream of fire. Kenya and I both pushed him out of harm's way, though for different motives. She was genuinely worried they were fighting. I was genuinely worried about keeping them in peak condition to win the Gym Battle.

"Stop it! Look, you guys are welcome to kill each other, but wait until _after_ the Gym Battle!"

"Well, how do I look, you guys?"

We all turned and saw that Leah obviously as not going to follow the trainer's dress code. Instead of a short, frilly skirt, arm bag, sunhat, and sleeveless shirt; Leah donned a pair of simple blue-jean shorts, a baby blue tank top, tennis shoes, a small backpack, and her hair was conveniently swept back into a ponytail. Although not as 'cute' as the other trainers, Leah was dressed more practically for the amount of traveling we'd be doing, coupled with the sweltering heat Kanto dealt.

She received many nods and specie names of approval, before revealing to us we had to go find Julie; ultimately postponing our Gym Battle another day. So we packed up our things, and everyone was recalled to their Poké Balls except for me. Leah sighed as we left; Julie's bag slung over her shoulder.

"I'm nervous about our Gym Battle, Shadow."

I held her gaze; showing her I was interested in hearing how she was feeling about it.

"I know that Kelly trained you guys well and all," she began, "but I'm uncertain in my abilities as a trainer. True, I'm a good strategist. But… what if I really, really suck as a trainer?"

I nuzzled her leg as we walked; my only way of communicating with her. I wasn't the least bit worried by her. If her ditzy older sister had been able to do it; surely Leah could. She smiled and ruffled my fur. "Thanks, Shadow. You're the best."

"Naturally," I mumbled.

"I guess I'm just worrying over nothing. Still… it bothers me that I've never even battled with Dante… shoot, I don't even know what level he's on!"

Well, that I had to agree on. If he was on level 5, it would pose a problem. Though I highly doubted he was that inexperienced.

We came to the edge of Pewter City; facing the edge of the forest. Kenya and Tyson appeared next to me.

"Okay, you three. Since Dante is hindered by his headaches, and Claire is naturally slow, it's up to you guys to search the forest. I'll stick to the main path. We'll meet back here at noon; whether we've found her or not. Sound like a plan?"

We all nodded in affirmation, and she smiled. "Great. See you then."

Kenya and Tyson headed in the opposite direction of me. I preferred to go it alone; while Kenya had whined for Tyson to go with her; because he was scary enough to chase away any birds that might pester her. I slowly and methodically wandered through the forest; eyes glues to the ground in search of footprints. The quicker we found Julie, the quicker we got the dreaded Gym Battle over with and moved on from the bland city.

I was too distracted by the ground and my thoughts to hear the fluttering of tiny wings. I did notice, however, when I lifted my head to see where I was, there was a miniscule green dot barreling towards me. It squawked, and then smashed into my forehead, before falling to the ground a ruffled heap. The tiny bird slowly came around, and I noticed his feathers were stained with tears. He saw me, and then clutched his chest with his feathered wings.

"Dear mother of Mew! Don't eat me!" he pleaded.

Deciding to have some fun with the little guy, I curled back my lips to reveal glistening white fangs. He made a choking sound, and then fainted right there before me.

Just my luck.

* * *

**A/N: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, despite the writer's block that has been plaguing me. ):**

**I hope you enjoyed it too. Don't forget to vote in the poll, or to _review_!**

**~Shelby**

* * *


	44. The Reunion

**A/N: RECAP~ Basically, all that happened was we went looking for Julie in the woods, and instead found Simon. Woot woot, how eventful. Anyways, this chapter involves blood.... mwahahaha. (just a smidge, not much)**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Four: 

The Reunion

The first thing I noticed when I awoke was that I was on the ground. The second thing I noticed was that I was not dead.

The third thing I realized was that I was about to be.

Menacing red and yellow eyes gleamed at me, and jaws lined with pure white fangs hovered directly above me.

"This is not happening, this is not happening, this is _so_ not happening," I whispered to myself as I clenched my eyes shut so tightly it hurt.

"What the fuck is your problem, bird brain?"

Despite myself, I cracked open one eye. The Mightyena was calmly staring me down; perhaps he enjoyed chasing his prey before killing it.

"You're going to eat me, aren't you?" I cried; my heart thumping in my tiny chest.

The wolf-like creature blinked once, before busting out laughing. He rolled onto his back and cackled so loud the forest boomed around me. Whilst he composed himself, I nervously righted myself and stretched my wings to make sure they still worked after fainting. I clenched the leather pouch by a single strap with my talon; squeezing it so tightly I might have severed it. When he noticed I hadn't gotten his private joke and thought he was completely and utterly insane, he rolled back onto his stomach and grinned jovially at me.

_What a freaking nut._

"Well, this has been fun and all; but I really must be going-"

I had opened my wings to escape, but fell back to earth. The beast had firmly held me to the ground with a massive paw that was planted on my tail feathers.

"What do you want from me!?" I cried nervously.

The Mightyena obviously got satisfaction out of toying with me; his eyes glittered in mischief. What a pity I had been too frightened at the time to notice this. I wouldn't have given him that satisfaction.

"Can you fly?" he asked in a serious tone.

I held the tip of my wing to my beak; appearing as though I was engaged in deep thought. "Hmm… I can't seem to recall. Perhaps you should let me go and allow me to test that?"

He growled at my sarcastic tone, and I instantly snapped my beak shut. "Probably not the best idea to be a smart-ass to a Pokémon that could swallow you whole," he snarled.

I quickly nodded. "Good point. Feel free to carry on," I said hurriedly; attempting to suck up and further my chances of survival.

He studied me for a moment, and then continued. "I'm in need of your assistance. You see, I'm looking for this girl that I really need to find soon beca-"

"And you want me to help you search because I can get a bird's eye view, right?"

He looked surprised I had picked up on his plan so quickly. Perhaps he was accustomed to idiots?

"Uh… yeah. So help me, or I'll be forced to use Thunderfang and fry your sorry ass."

I'm pretty sure I wet my feathers at about that moment. "Umm… okay?"

Upon my agreement, he calmly rose to his feet and padded a few feet away. Running out of options, I sighed and fluttered into the air above him, leather pouch dangling from my claws.

_Maybe if I help this guy out, he'll help me find the loser that took Shelley._I paid no heed to the Natu that fluttered along overhead. I expected him to leave; any creature with half a brain would realize I couldn't reach a flying bird to execute a Thunderfang. Not that I would kill him anyhow…

* * *

"Are you sure she came this way?" asked the green speck in a whiny voice.

"Nope. Keep looking anyway," I barked.

He grumbled something under his breath, but I once again ignored him. Traveling for a few months with a hyper-active ball of fluff, an occasional third person-speaking Cranidos, a Pokémon prodigy, and a moody fire lizard has trained me well. My ears instinctively pricked, and I heard a faint scream off to my right. The Natu, lacking proper ears, failed to notice.

"Did you hear anything?" I asked slowly, straining my ears to hear more.

He muttered a no, and I frumpily concentrated on veering off to the right a little; towards where I had heard the scream. The Natu disappeared from my view for a moment, and I remember wondering if he had up and left. But no; he fluttered back down a few minutes later.

"I still don't see or hear anything. Can I go now?"

I shot the little weirdo a venomous glare, and he gulped. "Eh, changed my mind. I'm totally interested in what you allegedly heard. Shall we continue?"

A few seconds of silence, and then the victim screamed so loudly; a deaf rock could hear it. The Natu visibly paled as he landed on a low tree branch to my left.

"That is definitely Julie," I murmured.

"Your human?" he asked slowly.

"Nope. My human's human."

He shot me a quizzical look, before hearing another bloodcurdling scream. Without further delay, we rushed towards the direction of the scream. The scene I'm about to describe was shocking for me, dear reader, so please bear with me.

Julie was there all right. She was cornered up against a particularly thick tree trunk. She was sobbing uncontrollably, and had many tiny cuts all over her. And her assaulter?

"Bitch, I warned you. How dare you stop massaging me!?"

Julie screamed again, and I stepped forward. "Holy fucking shit. Shelley, is that you?"

* * *

I was utterly confused at that point. The slightly psychotic Mightyena I had been forced to help _knew_ Shelley? But how? She had just come from Sinnoh; there was just no way. And obviously his human's human was Shelley's new trainer. (Honestly, still a tad bit confused by that, but back onto subject.)

I think I felt the worst hurt of my entire life at that moment. Shelley blinked once, and then her eyes filled with tears. "It's _you_! It's really you!"

I had stretched out my wings to envelope her in the hug I assumed had been directed to me, but my heart sank when she ran to the Mightyena and nuzzled him in affection.

"Shadow, holy shit, I never thought I'd fucking see you again! Where's Kelly, Claire, Kenya, and Tyson? And why the hell are you in Kanto!?"

I noticed he winced at the mention of the names, but smiled amiably and shushed her. "I'll tell you of that later. First thing's first, Shelley. Why the fuck were you torturing Julie?"

"It's simple; she captured me, and took me away from Simon." When realization struck her, she paled. "Uh… wait, you know her?"

As if on cue, the girl timidly peeked out from behind the tree. "Shadow? Is that you? Save me please, that Turtwig is nuts!"

"SILENCE!" screamed Shelley, sending the girl scrambling back to her hiding spot.

The Mighyena shot her a stern look, and she ducked her head. "Eh, I mean, please be quiet, Julie."

He chuckled and shook his massive head at her correction, and then turned to me. "Thanks for your help, little dude; but I've got it from here."

Shelley frowned. "Why the fuck are you giving Simon permission to leave? He's staying with me," she snapped.

It was the Mightyena's turn to be confused. "Wait a minute… you know this little dude?"

Shelley snorted, "Well duh. I've only been traveling with him for, like, ever. But really; what was up with the persmission?"

I truly felt the need for some attention from her. Childish and selfish, perhaps, but hey; no one's perfect. "Shelley," I whined, "he threatened to eat me, and made me faint. Then; he threatened to murder me if I didn't follow him!"

Shelley blinked slowly, and then hissed sharply. "No one **_EVER _**messes with _my _Simon!"

She screamed like a banshee, and latched onto his foreleg; snarling and foaming at the mouth only slightly. He howled in pain, and shot me a betrayed look.

"Shelley, I'm sorry! Please, let go!"

When she did, she walked away spitting and spluttering; tufts of his charcoal fur lining her maw. "Don't let me ever find out you've messed with him again, or next time, the leg comes OFF!" Shadow glanced at me with remorse, and then back at the Turtwig whom had drawn blood from his leg. He licked it slowly, methodically, and finally looked back up at us again.

"Listen, I'd better take Julie back. Leah's pretty worried about her, and the sooner we get back, the sooner we can have the Gym battle."

Shelley furrowed her brow in confusion. "Who the fuck is Leah?"

The Mightyena let out a long sigh. At first, I thought it sounded exasperated, but at a closer look; I could see his eyes were dulled with remorse and his ears were drooped a bit.

"Well, Shelley, you do belong to Julie now. How about I explain everything when we get back to the others? It's a long story, and there's someone else who needs to hear it, to."

Shelley appeared to mull things over, and then sighed as she nodded in agreement. "Okay, but I'm dying of fucking curiosity here, so let's make the trip back a fast one. O trainer of mine, get your sorry ass out here!" said Shelley, the second half in a sing-song voice that oozed sarcasm.

Shadow limped to the cringing girl and woofed softly. She made extra careful to keep the large wolf between her and the psychotic Turtwig that I love.

I should be accustomed to the simple fact that the human hadn't even noticed my presence yet. Perhaps it was a blessing. But in reality, being so small led me to feeling as though I was completely, irrevocably, and undeniably, invisible.

* * *

**A/N: So there we have it! Simon and Shelley meet up with Shadow. (Too many S's... ugh)**

**Sorry I didn't just write from Shadow's POV, but we needed to know what all Simon was feeling and thinking. Who knew he was so jealous? XD**

**Please review,and let me know what you think! Thanks to the all the people who reviewed last chapter, you guys rock. (Kenya won the poll, by the way)**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby  
**


	45. Vs Brock

**A/N: RECAP~ We found out that Julie is the one that captured Shelley, discovered that Simon is a particularly jealous little guy, and Shadow was reunited with Shelley. **

**Awaiting you is the longest written chapter TO DATE of LITM. Please enjoy~**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Five:

Vs. Brock

"There is no way in hell you are going to name her Twiggy."

Julie defensively clutched Shelley to her chest. "Why not?" she whined, "Twiggy is a good name!"

Leah shook her head slowly. "No. It truly sucks. Really."

We were in the Pokémon Center lobby, eating lunch and preparing to head for the Gym. Dante was wheezing into a brown paper bag; nervous beyond belief about our upcoming battle. Kenya was singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star; despite Tyson gently reminding her it happened to be mid-afternoon. Claire was staring at Tyson with scrutiny; possibly wondering how one minute he could be attempting to flush her down the toilet, and the next be patient with her as she sang us into insanity.

Kenya and Claire had been ecstatic to see Shelley. But with all the excitement over with, they were back to the way they normally are. Their antics far beyond my comprehension, I shook my head and had lay down on the cold tile floor; listening to Leah attempt to help Julie with her retarded naming habits.

"Well… can I name her Shelley then? Or is _that_ too original _too_!?"

Leah groaned; throwing her hands up in the air. "Geez, you know what? Forget it! Name her the Great Bambino for all I care!"

Julie stuck out her lower lip and it quivered. How pitiful. (Although they refused to speak to one another until after the Gym Battle, our beloved Turtwig's name remained Shelley)

"I'm just grateful Greg was such an ignorant bastard and named me something common," confessed Shelley to me at a later date.

I sort of felt bad for her lover, forgot his name, that was perched on a tree branch watching us through the window. Apparently he had his nose… erm, _beak_ out of joint because neither of the two humans had noticed him. Besides that, he seemed like a whiny little shit.

Our walk to the Gym was less than eventful, I'm sorry to say. Most of us, (excluding Kenya) were silent; quietly reflecting on the past and focusing on the battle we would have to engage in. We reached the Gym doors, and I was quivering with excitement. So naturally; while I'm all ready to go and about to pee myself with anticipation, Leah decides to whip out her Pokédex and evaluate Dante.

_Psyduck, the Duck Pokémon_.

Well way to point out the obvious, Pokédex creators.

_Ability: Damp. Level 19. Attacks: Water Sport, Scratch, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Disable, Confusion._

Dante seemed to relax when his long list of abilities was read off. He crumpled up the brown paper bag, and tossed it over his shoulder. Kenya suddenly became an environmentalist as well, and worriedly picked up the crumpled bag.

"Dante! You totally just littered! That's not very nice to the planet. Or the Pokémon. What if one of them had tried to eat this?"

Dante opened his flat-as-a-pancake beak to answer, but I cut him off; ready to rant because we lingered at the Gym doors.

"No Pokémon is retarded enough to eat a fucking _paper bag_."

Kenya frowned, and then nodded pointedly at Tyson; whom was clearly unacquainted with sliding glass doors. He was repetitively slamming into the Gym entrance, and cursing. I turned back to Kenya, eyed the paper bag clenched in her teeth, back at the slightly retarded Cranidos, and then back to her. "Oh fine, I see your point."

She grinned triumphantly around the bag, and then trotted over to the trash can next to the Gym window. Dante glared at me. "Excellent. Now she'll make me out to be a bioterrorist. You do realize that paper bag was biodegradable, don't you?"

I didn't answer him, however, because Leah withdrew everyone except me, and all at once we shuffled into the Gym.

Kanto Gyms are styled differently than the Sinnoh ones. Sure; there's a lobby and a receptionist at a desk. But apparently in Kanto, Gym Battles are a spectator sport. A long line of trainers waited patiently to get in and battle Brock. We heard the crowd roar and loud applause as the next challenger entered the arena. The receptionist swiped Leah's trainer card, glared at me, and then handed Leah a card with a number. The line was depleted rather quickly, which unnerved me. Brock must not be a joker.

A low whimper escaped me involuntarily, and Leah crouched next to me. She looked me square in the eye, and massaged me behind the ears slowly.

"You shouldn't be nervous, big guy. You've done this before. Besides; Brock's Pokémon _are_ on lower levels than all of you," she crooned.

I licked her cheek, and she giggled. The boy in front of us entered the arena, and Leah sucked in her breath. "We're next."

She stood up and brushed off her shirt, and I swiveled my head to the waiting area. A young girl cried into the shoulder of her mother, whom was whispering comforting words. I gulped. That could be us in a few minutes. The boy that had been in front of us came back out.

"I forfeited," he admitted to the receptionist, "that dude is intimidating."

And all at once; it was our turn.

"This is it," whispered Leah under her breath.

"Good luck!" yelled Shelley from the waiting area, where Julie was pouting.

The first thing I noticed was that this arena was a hell of a lot bigger than Roark's Gym. The second thing I noticed was that the grandstands were packed full. The third thing I noticed was that Brock had _really_ squinty eyes.

"And here comes our next challenger, Leah Walsch!" boomed the announcer.

I marveled at how detailed the Gym was. Unlike Roark's Gym, I would have to be careful. The floor of the arena was dotted with many craggy, sharp rocks. Brock and Leah both had the privilege of commanding their Pokémon from two raised platforms. Brock, albeit a little creepy looking, seemed nice enough.

"Challenger may choose first," he yelled through cupped hands.

Leah smiled weakly, and then nodded to me. "You go first, Shadow."

When the crowd realized she was calling upon her Mightyena, they booed and hissed; I'm pretty sure someone yelled for Brock to show no mercy. Just another nagging reminder that we are no longer in Sinnoh.

I attempted to gracefully leap down from the platform, but stumbled and ended up falling hard. I yelped as a sharp pain surged through my foreleg; the one Shelley had mangled earlier that morning. The crowd erupted with spiteful laughter, and I felt my face flush in hot embarrassment.

Brock never wavered in his serious demeanor. He casually tossed up a Poké Ball, and from it emerged a boulder with arms.

"Ah, a Geodude. How… _predictable_," I taunted, with a yawn thrown in for good measure.

"Bring it on, poochy!" it growled in a gravelly voice.

"Let the battle begin!" yelled the referee from the sidelines.

"Geodude, start with Rock Throw."

"Shadow, wait until the rocks are thrown, then use Ice fang!"

Barely able to hear her commands, I faltered a bit. The Geodude chucked five medium-sized rocks into the air, all coming down directly on top of me. Despite my leg, I sprinted forth and latched onto his head, coating the top of it with ice. It gurgled in what I took to be anger, and then began to flail to try to get me off. I took this as my cue, and created a good amount of distance between us.

"Shadow, good work. Use Bite!"

I groaned inwardly. It would have been very beneficial to learn a range attack before challenging a Gym.

"Geodude, wait."

Confused by his tactics, I reluctantly narrowed the gap between me and the boulder-with-arms. "Now, Geodude!"

It began to glow green; using Defense Curl. Having gathered too much momentum to stop, I grudgingly chomped down on its arm. It gave a short snort of laughter, and then slammed me in the side of the face with a Mega Punch. I was sent reeling backwards, howling in pain. The Geodude, to my dismay, did not appear the least bit fazed.

"Shadow!" cried Leah from the platform.

I could barely hear her; everything sounded as if it were underwater. I was getting my ass handed to me. By a lower-leveled, glorified rock with arms.

"Let's finish this. Geodude, use Magnitude."

"Shadow…"

Leah's voice trailed off. She knew I wouldn't stay conscious through the attack, so there was no point in issuing a command. The earth began to rumble beneath me.

Magnitude is a funny attack, dear reader. When it's strong, it's _really_ strong. But when it's weak…

I danced along the fine line of consciousness. Luckily, Leah knew I was spent, and that it was a miracle I was still standing.

"Stop, Brock! I want to withdraw him from battle," she said quietly.

The crowd had fallen silent. The Gym Leader nodded ever so slightly, and instructed his Geodude to pause.

The limp back to the platform was grueling. My paws bled from the sharp stones that scattered the ground, and my head was pounding. I flopped down next to Leah and wheezed heavily. She stooped down and used a Super Potion on my injuries, and then gave me a Sitrus Berry before standing up. Only then did the battle resume.

"You're up, Dante!" yelled Leah over the murmuring crowd.

The Psyduck materialized in front of her, and then tried to appear as daunting as possible. Needless to say, he failed miserably.

"Geodude, Mega Punch!"

"Dante, roll to the side, then use Water Gun!"

The Geodude charged forward on his two limbs, and then vaulted into the air, right fist glowing white with power. Dante refused to roll to the side, but instead fired the Water Gun point blank. The Mega Punch never made contact, and the Geodude was sent sprawling through the air. The result was immediate. The Geodude weakly gasped for breath.

"Magnitude, again!"

"Dante, hang in there!"

The Psyduck clenched his aching head, and cried out in pain. Remember how the last Magnitude was a weak one? Consider the total opposite, and you understand what the poor duck was going through. The Geodude was almost done for, though.

"Dante, just run up to it and use Scratch until it faints."

The Psyduck waddled over as fast as he could to oblige. Brock's seriousness faltered for a brief moment in time, and a smirk spread across his lips. He had a plan. Fuck.

"Geodude, bide your time," he commanded calmly.

"Dante, be careful!" I barked weakly from the platform.

He reached the boulder and began scratching the shit out of it. "Now, Geodude! Selfdestruct!"

Dante's eyes bulged, and he froze in fear as the Geodude grasped him around the torso with rough, hardened fingers. The Geodude glowed a sickly yellow, and as the light intensified, a large explosion rocked the arena. Tiny pieces of rock pelted Leah and I, and a cloud of dust rose. The only noise emitted by the crowd was coughing and spluttering. Then, we heard a simultaneous gasp.

Unable to see yet from our vantage point, Leah and I watched earnestly from the platform. When the dust settled, the crowd roared with applause. Dante stood, blinking, and not even close to being KO'd. Leah whooped in excitement.

Dante waved shyly to the crowd, and then hefted the Geodude over his shoulder, and drug it back to its trainer. The crowd went wild when Dante flung the fainted Pokémon onto the platform, and then waddled back over to Leah, who was beaming at him. Brock chuckled, and recalled his Geodude.

"I should have remembered that Psyduck can have the Damp ability. Well fought. But I won't make that mistake again. Onix, finish this!"

I gaped at the giant, 28 ft tall rock snake that emerged and bellowed a battle-cry. Dante quacked in fear, and looked up at Leah pleadingly.

"Nuh uh, Dante. You have to win this one. I know you can."

He turned and faced the Onix.

"Onix, Tackle!"

"Dante, Water Gun!"

The Onix barreled towards the tiny duck, but roared and recoiled as the water struck him. "Onix, Dig!"

Dante squawked as the giant burrowed into the ground; disappearing from view. "Dante, aim a Water Gun down the hole!"

The pressurized water reached Onix and a screech could be heard from underground. It emerged from the ground and the force sent Dante flying into a rock. He weakly rose, and matched the Onix's swaying motions.

"Can't have that happen again," muttered Leah under her breath, "Dante, Disable!"

The Onix roared in pain, and I cringed; remembering back to when the Drowzee had used Disable on me. Not a pleasant feeling, not at all.

"Onix, finish with Bind!"

"Dante, look out!"

The rocky snake enveloped the tiny Psyduck in his coils, and squeezed with incredible power. Dante opened his beak to fire a Water Gun, but inevitably went limp. The crowd went wild at Brock's small victory over the Psyduck.

"You may have won the battle, but certainly not the war!" screamed Leah, enlarging another Poké Ball after recalling Dante to his. "Claire, do your best!"

My jaw dropped to the floor, I do believe. In my mind; the smart thing to do would have been to send out Tyson, seeing as he's a rock type and Bind wouldn't do much damage. But no; our Charmander stood, glaring at the giant snake she had to face.

"Claire, I need you to get on its head!" yelled Leah through cupped hands.

Claire stared at her incredulously. "You want me to _what_!? Gee, Leah; why not ask me to turn him into a fucking Magikarp while you're at it!"

Her back-mouthing distracted her, and she narrowly avoided a Rock Throw by leaping to the side.

"Claire, stop being a smartass and just do it!" I barked hoarsely from the sidelines.

She shot me a dangerous look, and then set out on her daunting task.

"Onix, Bind!"

Claire yelped as she was squeezed by the rocky coils of the Onix, whom was grinning maliciously. "Dragon Rage, Claire!"

For the second time that day, my jaw dropped. I was unaware she had learned that move. Claire's eyes glowed with purple energy, and she screamed as the purple shock waves pummeled the Onix. It roared in pain, and it's coils went slack. Claire used this opportunity to frantically scramble the rest of the way up, until she sat atop his head; clinging to the horn jutting from his forehead.

"Onix, use Dig!" yelled Brock from his platform, but his Pokémon didn't hear him.

It frantically began shaking its massive head in a last-ditch effort to rid himself of the Charmander. "Claire, leap, and use Flamethrower!"

She gaped at Leah, gulped, and then flung herself off the head and in front of the Onix. I sucked in my breath. If this didn't work, it would be the epic fail of the century.

The jet of flames that escaped her maw struck the Onix directly in the eyes, and he bellowed as his mighty head fell limply to the ground. Claire screamed as she fell into his heavy coils, and then everything fell silent. Leah clenched the railing of the platform; her breathing fast as we watched with hopeful eyes for Claire to emerge.

There was a swelling glow, and then it faded. The rocky coils budged ever so slightly, and then a blast of overpowered flames blasted them to the side. A dark, blood red paw pulled up Claire, and she triumphantly roared from the top of the Onix's body. The crowd went wild with cheers.

"Would you look at that, folks! Trainer Walsch's Charmander evolved, into Charmeleon!" yelled the announcer.

Claire experimentally flexed her new, wickedly elongated claws. Her tail flame burned ten times more intensely than it had as a Charmander. A small horn protruded from the back of her head. But most notable of all, were the deep, maroon scales that glittered dangerously in the arena lights.

Leah ran from her platform and hugged Claire; whom beamed at me and gave me a thumbs up. I watched proudly as Brock recalled his Onix, and strolled towards Leah. I limped down and joined them, just as he offered a calloused hand for her to shake.

"It is my honor, to award to you, Leah Walsch, the Boulder Badge. I also would like to give you this TM." He handed Leah a TM, and smiled warmly. "It was a pleasure battling you. You will go far."

Leah grinned widely, and then bent down and enveloped Claire and I in a hug. "We did it, you guys!" she whispered excitedly. I licked her cheek, and then smiled warmly at Claire.

One down, seven to go.

* * *

**A/N: After 45 chapters... Claire evolves, and we beat the first Kanto Gym...**

**... Perhaps I should go into less detail, and get to the Gyms faster. I dunno; if you're happy with how long the story is taking, let me know. Or vice versa; if you think I should cut out the background stuff and just hurry it up a bit. If you would; either PM or review your thoughts to meh. **

**Peace,**

**~Shelby**


	46. Imprisonment

**A/N: RECAP.... Found out Dante's level, beat Brock, and Claire evolved. Woot!  
**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Six:

Imprisonment

He shifted the weight of his knapsack to his left shoulder and grumbled. The leaves of fall twirled down and crunched beneath his hastily maintained pace. The frigid morning air caused his breath to swirl around him; foggy, white, and eerie.

Being native to Kanto, he wasn't dressed ideally, but he had to manage. The thin jacket labeled KSZ could hardly be considered sufficient, and he found himself wishing he had never taken this assignment. His hands went to his Poke Balls, and a faint smile brushed his lips. He remembered the good old days, when being a Pokemon Hunter brought in enough income.

A second form emerged from the trees; zipping up his jeans as he made his way to Henry.

"Did your piss freeze?" drawled Henry, his hand falling from his Poke Belt to his side.

His younger partner seemed stunned at the blatant mention of his bodily fluids. "Um... no?"

Henry snorted at the kid's lack of humor, and they fell silent. _Of all types of Pokemon to send us to capture, they give us the three most impossible ones._

He absentmindedly pulled a faded list from his jacket pocket, and sniffed as he unfolded it. _We managed to catch a Gible. And the Carnivine. _His finger tapped the third name gently, and he growled. _This is just impossible._

He grudgingly shoved the incomplete list into his pocket and sighed. They had a long day ahead of them.

* * *

She had never had him yell at her. Not a single time. His sharp words felt like hard stones as they pelted her, and she recoiled; looking rather glanced to her side and instantly felt bad for dragging Uno and Anne into this. It had been her endeavor, and not their problem.

_'You forget, Grace; he is our trainer too. Although our connection with him is not as powerful as the one you possess, we still care for him, and want him to remain healthy.' _

The Vulpix smiled a bit at Uno's soft, wizened telepathic voice. He was right. They all wanted the best for Wes.

The trainer in question cursed loudly again, and then went back to the bed, rubbing his temples. For the first time since his last murder, he would awaken stone-cold sober. For scattered all around the room, were shards of glass, and the floor was slick with whiskey.

As Grace carefully picked her way around the countless bottles she had shattered, she couldn't help but feel content. Although his words had hurt her, she knew it was merely drunken rage. The important thing was; she had done something. Grace curled up in the corner and sighed, her soft eyes reflecting in the dim light.

She had found a way to help.

* * *

He stared in utter disbelief at the elegant creature before them. His partner, awestruck by their dumb luck, had his hand clamped over his mouth, and his eyes were bulging from their sockets. In denial himself, Henry looked to the list.

_Pokemon for the breeding program; 1 female Gabite. A male, and a female Carnivine. And one Eeveelution._

His eyes glittered greedily as he stuffed the letter into his pocket once more. "Get the net gun, boy!" he whispered tersely to his partner.

The rookie fumbled awkwardly with the giant tool, and finally managed to point it at the stationary Leafeon. He pulled the trigger, and was surprised when the Leafeon made no move to dodge. She simply lay there, glaring at them in such a menacing way he felt targeted as the net pinned her to the ground. Her eyes never left his, and Henry punched his fist into the air in triumph. He had never thought capturing an Eeveelution would be so easy.

He pulled out an Ultra ball and hurled it at her, but she was not beneath the net. Henry gaped at the hole in the net, and then nearly threw up when he heard a scream and watched his partner fall to the ground. The Leafeon panted a few feet away from them; her eyes widening in shock as she realized what she had done. The boy clutched his wounds and frantically tried to get away from the Leafeon that had slashed his knees with a well-aimed Iron Tail.

"You don't mess with me, little bitch," snarled Henry as he enlarged a Poke Ball.

A battle-worn Scyther materialized, and glared at the Eeveelution with venomous eyes. The extreme emotion that had been thrust upon her made her outraged, and the Leafeon let out a shrill, bone-chilling battle cry. They circled one another, the Scyther chuckling wickedly and the Leafeon snarling. Scyther leapt in first, scythes swishing through the air as it moved in for an attack. The Leafeon screeched in response, and then brandished her steel-like tail.

They elaborately danced, blades glinting in the afternoon sun as they parried vigorously. Henry watched silently from the sidelines, amazed at the skills the tiny Eeveelution had honed. His Scyther had been undefeated for six years. This could be interesting.

His partner moaned, and Henry reluctantly began tearing strips of cloth from his T-shirt to stem the blood flow.

Scyther hissed as a mist of blood tainted the air, and he ignored the seeping wound to his back. The mantis silently marveled at the skill the Leafeon used to wield her normally useless tail, and at the fact that she had not used a single grass-type attack. He slashed her across the shoulder and grinned maliciously as the blood stained her cream colored fur.

The Leafeon panted, and glared jealously at the Scyther. She hadn't encountered anything like him before. He didn't even seem weakened, and yet she felt faint.

The giant mantis hissed again, and charged her; scythes crossed in an X-Scissor attack. She calmly braced herself, and her tail once again began to glow. She waited patiently until he was nearly upon her, and then whipped around so her steely tail took the force of the attack. When they connected, the Scyther's eyes widened as she flung him to the side, and then used her blade to pin him to the ground. He frantically began flailing, but her extreme emotions and extraordinary willpower overwhelmed him.

A purple blob of energy formed in her mouth, and she relished the shocked look on his face as she fired a Shadow Ball point blank. Blood dribbled from his chin, and the Scyther fell limp.

Before she had a chance to feel triumphant, however, she felt a spherical object slam into the back of her head. The force of the blow made her gasp, and she felt an odd feeling as she was sucked into the void Ultra Ball.

The virtual world was white. All white.

She gingerly lay down on what she supposed was the floor and tended to her wounds, but it could have been the ceiling for all she knew. The blinding whiteness only adding to her paranoia and slight insanity, she stared blankly into the nothingness.

She vowed to herself then and there. If she ever became human again, she would never keep her Pokemon in the horrid confines of the Poke Ball.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, so I know this was a real short chapter. But it's better than none, and it's been quite some time since I last updated. This is dedicated to all those who've wanted to hear from Kit/Kelly, Grace, and Wes. Albeit short, I have my reasons. My laptop that LITM is saved to has a virus, and is getting repaired, so I've been hard-pressed for quality computer time with which to write. (Cross-country meets, youth group, choir, and homework aren't helping much either. -.-) **

**So in other words, next chapter may be a late, late update, but don't worry. It'll come eventually (:**

**Until Next Chapter,**

**~Shelby**

**(P.S- Can you make a guess as to what KSZ on Henry's shirt stands for??? If you figure it out.... well, no virtual prize, but still. GUESS) ^^  
**


	47. And Now, More Chaos

**A/N: RECAP: Caught up with Kelly, and also Wes, Grace, Uno, and Anne.**

**(By the way... to those who didn't figure it out, KSZ stood for Kanto Safari Zone. The chapter might make more sense now~)**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Seven: 

And Chaos Insues

"Wow Claire, you got fucking _beastly_," commented Shelley as we exited the Pokemon Center, leaving behind the magical healing machinery. Leah had decided we would spend the night in Pewter and resume travel in the morning. So, we were on our way to the park to waste away the day light hours.

Said Charmeleon puffed out her chest, blazed her tail flame, and flexed her elongated claws. "Why thank you, Shelley."

"I do believe all this attention is going to her head," mumbled Dante to me.

I sniggered, and barked, "Hey Shelley, cool it on the compliments! Her head just might explode."

Claire glared at me, acrid smoke curling away from her nostrils. "Can it, Shadow. You're just jealous because you never get to evolve again."

I frowned, and she smirked. "Besides that fact; next time I evolve, I get _wings_."

"Lucky bitch," grumbled Shelley underneath her breath.

The conversation dwindled down as Leah and Julie settled down beneath a giant oak tree. Leah began searching through her Pokedex, and Julie frumpily sat on the other side of the tree; refusing to speak to her. I yawned and stretched out in the sunshine; allowing it to warm my black fur. Although the trip to the Pokemon Center had healed my aches and pains, it couldn't keep me from being exhausted after the vigorous battle.

I heard someone plop down next to me, and drowsily looked up to see Kenya. "Uncle Shadow, I have a question," she whispered.

I blinked once, and then rolled over so my back was to her. "Go ask Dante, then. I'm exhausted. And this damn sunlight is making me lethargic."

She looked over at the migraine-ridden duck, then back to me. "Okay... now I have two questions, Uncle Shadow."

I growled deep in my throat, and then flipped over to glare at her properly. "Fine. Ask your questions. You have my undivided attention for the next... three minutes."

She grinned, and then took that as permission to curl up next to me. Her warm, furry little body pressed up against mine made the heat unbearable, and I began panting.

"First of all... what does lethargic mean?"

"It's a fancy way of saying 'lazy' and 'tired'. And your next question?"

She sighed wistfully, and then looked up at me.

"Why didn't Leah use me in the battle today?" she asked; voice concerned and sad.

My heart melted, and I wrapped my tail around her protectively. "Kenya, its nothing against you... Leah just knew you would get hurt if you battled the Rock types. Your electricity wouldn't have worked."

Relief flooded her expression, and she sighed contentedly. "That's a relief. I thought maybe she didn't like me."

Fraternal instinct washed over me, and I licked the top of her head comfortingly. "Of course she loves you, Kenya. Everyone does."

She beamed a smile up at me, and began purring. "Thanks Uncle Shadow. I love you."

I suddenly felt a little sickened by all the mushy talk, and squirmed. "Yeah, I know. Common affliction. Now shoo; go somewhere else. It's too damn hot out her for Luxios to be sleeping next to me."

She giggled, and only curled up tighter next to me. Within a few minutes, she was sound asleep. Resolved to the fact she wasn't leaving any time in the near future, I rested my head between my paws and slowly dozed off.

~o0o~

Two beady eyes darted from the two trainers to the Turtwig. Wings ruffled, and the Natu impatiently wondered if she would ever think to look up. His head tilted to the side, and then an idea was born. He flitted from his perch to the end of the branch that hung directly overhead; careful to keep the leather pouch wrapped around his talon. _Ready... Aim... Fire._

Shelley jumped in surprise as a white and black blob landed inches away from her foreleg. Disgusted by the bird feces, she looked up to identify the offender. A lime green sphere stared down at her, and her eyes widened. How could she have forgotten him? Shelley carefully stepped over Simon's droppings, and looked at her companions.

Shadow and Kenya were curled up in the sunshine; fast asleep. Claire was eating Leah's peanut butter sandwhich... no surprise there. Tyson was asleep against the tree trunk, Leah was studying her Pokedex, Julie was scowling and sulking, and Dante was reading a book.

Satisfied that everyone was too preoccupied to notice her, she motioned for Simon to come get her. He hesitated, and then swooped down. Using Psychic, he lifted her up onto the tree branch and pecked her on the head irritably.

"Ouch! What the fuck was that for, Simon?"

"For being like everyone else and neglecting to notice me," he snapped.

"Oh, get over yourself, Simon," she retorted, "it would be a shit-load easier if you would grow a pair and get caught by one of the humans. Then you could be a part of the group, and you could have all the attention you by Mew wanted."

His gaze never wavered from the creatures beneath the tree.

"... Shelley, if I ask you a serious question... could you promise to be nice about it?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure I could. Doesn't mean I'll _keep_ that promise, but don't let that bother you. That's my normal, abrasive nature shining through."

Simon stared at her indecisively for a brief moment, and then sighed. "Do you think any one of them would eat me?"

Shelley looked down at the Charmeleon whom had just polished off the sandwhich and was now moving on to a Pecha berry.

".... Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. But only if provoked."

He visibly paled, and Shelley grew impatient. "What the hell is your problem, Simon? The only one you should watch out for is Claire, and as long as you suck up to her and kiss her fat ass every chance you get, you won't have a problem with her."

He nodded. "Okay... now what about the others? How can I prevent them from eating me?"

Shelley stopped herself short from cussing him out, and decided to have fun with it.

"Well, let's start with Shadow. He's basically a pussy. All talk, no action. All you have to do is threaten to summon me, and he'll piss his fur. Then, there's Dante. The worst thing I think he'd ever do is smother you with knoweledge."

She paused for breath, and the Natu looked up at her. "Should I be taking notes?"

She ignored his sarcasm, and continued her rant.

"Next, we have Tyson. He scares even me sometimes... but there's one thing you absolutely _have_ to remember about him. Tyson is an absolute, complete retard. A future-shocked, _retard_. All you have to do is threaten to explain the logic behind your electrosonic defibrilating mechanism, and he'll beg for mercy."

"Wait a minute, my electro-what?"

"Use your imagination, Simon. Come up with a random, complicated sounding human-toy and he freaks. Poor bastard didn't even know what a sliding glass door was."

Simon raised his eyebrows. "Creative way of torture... but I'll buy it. And what about the Luxio?"

Shelley snorted. "Of all the creatures in the world; Kenya is the only one that I'm absolutely _certain _wouldn't eat you. She's genuinely... _nice_."

Simon looked down at the group once more, and then lowered her to the ground with Psychic.

"Okay, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Let's do this."

* * *

"What do you think you're doing, Leah!? _I_ saw it first!"

"Well it's _my_ Great Ball, Jules, so you're just SOL!"

I awoke to this yelling and my mood instantly turned into a foul one. Kenya hadn't budged from my side; her side rising and falling in perfect rythym; and her paws twitching as she ran through her dreams.

At first, I couldn't discern what in the bloody hell they were going on about.

"What in the bloody hell are they going on about?" I asked our resident, all-knowing Psyduck a few moments after thinking it.

"There's a Natu perched on Shelley's headleaf, and both seek to capture it," he informed me.

I squinted, and finally noticed the speck that was Shelley's boyfriend.

"Leah should get to capture it! A Psychic-Flying type would be the perfect addition to our team!" yelled Claire.

"I agree," roared Tyson, "Julie, if you want another companion Pokemon, go buy a goddamn Glameow!"

"Don't I have a say in this?" sqeaked Simon.

All at once, the Great Ball flew from the hands of one of the two girls. Neither seemed to know who had thrown it, and both looked anxious to see who it would fly back to. He dissapeared inside the sphere, and it wiggled once before he gave up the struggle and it pinged. Then, the Great Ball flew back and landed perfectly in Julie's open palm.

Leah gaped, and Julie smiled. "I know you wouldn't understand, Leah, but Tak already got along great with Shelley... and I thought having a companion Pokemon for her might put her in a better mood."

"Hey bitch; I'm always in a friggin fantabulous mood!" screeched Shelley.

"So wait a minute, you caught a companion Pokemon for your_ companion _Pokemon!? And another thing.... wait a minute, did you just name it _Tak_?"

Julie stuck out her tongue. "Yeah, Lee, I guess I did! So stick that in your juice box and suck it!"

Dante and I cackled at Julie's crude humor, but recieved blank stares from our fellow Pokemon. Kenya appeared beside me and yawned.

"Uncle Shadow... what's a juice box?" she asked drowsily, just having awoken from her nap.

"Yeah Shadow... it might have been funny if we knew what 'box of juice' you spoke of," scoffed Tyson.

I inwardly groaned. "I don't _care_ if you guys know what it is. Dante got it, at least."

He gave me a mock salute, and we continued watching Leah and Julie bicker.

"What did she catch, Uncle Shadow?" asked Kenya from my side.

I realized she had missed all the action, and explained. "Well Kenya, Julie caught a Natu."

"What's a Natu?" she asked sweetly.

I watched Shelley headbutt both girls in the back of the knees; bringing their arguement to a halt and sending the Great Ball rolling to her.

"Well, a Natu is a.... oh my Mew!" Realization struck me like a blow to the face. This could get messy.

At that moment, Shelley pressed the button that released Simon, I mean, _Tak_. He hopped directly over to us, and waved a wing at Kenya.

"Hiya. I'm Si-"

"You're a funny looking bug," giggled Kenya.

Simon gave a short laugh, before flying up, around Kenya, and the returned to his spot in front of her. "No, silly I'm a-"

"BIRD!" screeched Kenya at the top of her tiny lungs, before tearing away from me and pouncing.

A few feather filled moments later, and a stunned Luxio was staring at the ground; panting and staring at the down feathers that lingered in the air. Everyone watched with dropped jaws as the not-so-innocent anymore kitten burped, and a saliva-coated, lime green feather landed on the grass.

I vomited, Dante passed out, Claire closed her eyes and prayied to her deity she was dreaming, and Tyson looked like he was still attempting to grasp the concept.

Shelley took one step forward, gingerly, and choked out a sob. Then, she looked up at Kenya with a blank expression.

"You just ate my soon-to-be mate," whispered Shelley in an eerily calm voice.

Kenya took a step backwards from the murderous Turtwig, and looked shocked. "I... I did?"

"You know, now there's only one thing left for you to do."

Kenya tilted her head to the side; confused.

"Prepare to die."

* * *

**A/N: Oh my... its good to be back. XD**

**Thank you to all of you who reviewed chapter 47 last time. If you want to review this one, review anonymously if you need to.**

**I don't know how long my compo will remain virus-free, but until it becomes sick again, I'm pumping out those chapters like no other. (:**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	48. Control

**A/N: ReCAP~ Basically.... last chapter was sort of filler-ish. To sum it up quickly... Simon was captured by Julie and renamed Tak, and was then immediately eaten by Kenya, whom has issues with bird Pokemon. And now; we see how Shelley handles this... **

**By the way~ A big thank you to everyone who caught my mistakes last chapter . (: Kenya is in fact a LUXIO, not a Luxray. I got them backwards, and I really appreciate everyone letting me know so I can get that fixed. Anyways, on to the long awaited chappie~**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Eight: 

Control

Kenya gulped, and staggered backwards behind me, shuddering. "B-but, I didn't-"

"SILENCE!" screeched Shelley as she flung herself at me, trying desperately to get at Kenya. Dante shot a blast of water that sent her backwards a few feet, and then Tyson and Claire managed to tackle the Turtwig and hold her to the ground.

"I swear to fucking Jirachi, I will fucking kill you just as soon as I get these fucking asswipes _off of me!_"

Murderous words aside; I thought it was rather cute how much Shelley had cared for the poor little guy before he... well, you know.

"Your Luxio just ate my Natu!" bawled Julie.

"I believe we've established that," grunted Claire as Shelley attempted to break their hold.

"Julie, recall your Turtwig! I think it's gone insane," said Leah; still trembling at the realization that Kenya was a murderer.

"Well you recall your vicious Luxio first!" wailed Julie.

The trembling electric kitten huddled behind me as Shelley let loose another stream of curses.

"U-Uncle Shadow... you believe me, don't you? I didn't mean to eat him... I don't even remember doing it, honest! I just..."

That's where I ceased to understand her; she began blubbering as tears streaked her fur.

Kenya was surrounded in a red aura, and then dissapeared from my view as she was recalled by a solemn Leah. Claire and Tyson loosened their hold on Shelley, and she darted away from us; running as fast as her stubby legs could take her.

"Shelley, wait up!" cried Julie. She rose to follow the heartbroken grass-type, but Leah stopped her.

"Let her go for a bit, Jules. She seems upset," she said in a soft tone, before turning to me, "Shadow, go after her. Make sure she's okay, will you?"

I gave a short bark in agreement, and began trotting after Shelley.

"Hey, wait up ya giant furball!"

I turned to see Claire lumbering towards me. It made since she would come. Claire and I had been Shelley's closest friends before the seperation, after all.

I pressed my nose to the ground and inhaled the scents the earth contained.

"Is that really neccessary?" asked Claire in a sarcastic tone. I followed her pointed claw with my eyes and noticed the Turtwig tracks imprinted into the soil.

"Oh. I guess not."

So we continued; following the tracks and in utter silence, until Claire shattered it with her question. "Shadow? Why was Shelley so attached to that Natu? She'd only just met him, after all, and it seems wierd that _Shelley,_ of all Pokemon, would care about a complete stranger's life. Plus that, she called him her soon-to-be mate?"

"Simon... I mean, _Tak_, was Shelley's traveling partner from Sinnoh to here. His teleportation methods are how they got here. Apparently they grew close along the way."

Claire rubbed the back of her neck and sighed, "Yeah. Traveling with someone for a while sure makes you grow close."

I made the mistake of looking up at her that moment, and I detected a faint blush despite her scarlet colored scales. I felt my own cheeks flush burning red as I fixated my eyes onto the ground, and we continued on in awkward silence. It drug on what seemed like forever before one of us dared speak again.

"What happens to Kenya, now? If she's gone insane, Leah will have to-"

"Kenya has _not_ gone insane," I barked firmly.

Claire put a paw on my shoulder. "Look Shadow, I know you're really close to her, but just loving someone can't protect them from-"

"I'm not trying to say she _didn't_ eat him, I'm trying to defend her reputation. You don't know the half of it," I snapped irritably

Claire yanked her arm away from me as if I had burned it, and then put both paws on her hips and stopped.

"Wait just a damn minute. First of all, you better quite cutting me off, or that pretty black fur of yours will turn to ash. Second, you can't just parade around here and pretend you know more about others than I do. You haven't been with Kenya a moment longer than I have, and you need to remember that."

I opened my mouth to protest, but was cut short as she began her speech.

"Shadow, you didn't single-handedly save her from those birds, you know. We fought _side by side,_ damnit. When did you become so fucking self-absorbed!?"

I whirled on her, lips curled back to expose my fangs as I snarled. Claire looked shocked as I stalked up to her until I was only inches away from her snout.

"Listen to me, Claire. I only _parade_ around here because I _do_ know more about Kenya than you. She talks to me, Claire."

The second part was spoken softer, and I backed away and sat down with my back to her to finish.

"When Kenya was attacked by those birds, apparently it was _after_ they killed her _mother_. Her freakin _mother_, Claire. She watched her own mother die, at the hand of birds. She briefly spoke of revenge on them. So when she saw Tak... I guess she just freaked."

I felt bile rise in my throat as the dark memory of Kenya killing the chicks swirled my head, and I cursed Celebi for having showed me that.

Claire and I remained thoughtfully silent for a moment, and my ears involuntarily pricked as I heard a sound to my left. I rose to my paws, and began trotting in the direction of the sobbing I had heard. I heard Claire rise and follow, and I wasn't surprised when I came across Shelley moments later.

Her back was turned to me, and I noticed for the first time the gigantic crack that had healed over on her shell. I felt extremely awkward, and lifted a paw in hesitation. I don't handle others crying very well, dear reader. It makes me extremely uncomfortable. Luckily, I didn't have to deal with it alone.

Claire brushed past me and sat down next to Shelley; draping her arm over her and speaking softly. I slowly ambled forward, and ended up lying a few feet away from them.

"... can't believe she would do that! I mean, I _hate_ almost every creature on this planet most the time. But Simon, he was so insecure and cute... I felt instantly protective over him," she explained in a hushed tone. "And you know what else? He found a way to let me fly with him. He was always so good to me... and I was horrible to him!" she choked out through her sobs.

Claire shot me a questioning look, and then patted Shelley on the shell. "Shelley, you must not have been too terrible to him. I mean, he stayed with you all that time."

She only shook her head, and continued on, "He was just a nice guy. Do you know, right before Kenya ate him... I told him she was the nicest, least violent creature I had ever met? The last thing I told him was a fucking lie!"

She broke down sobbing once again, and I finally got over my insecurities long enough to walk over and lick her on the head. I wanted to say something to comfort her, but I drew a blank.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, it probably happened so fast he didn't have time to realize you lied," I attempted, though I stumbled over myself and it came out wrong.

Shelley's lower jaw quivered, and then she began wailing as the tears flooded her eyes once again. Claire shot me a venomous look, and then yanked me away from the distraught Turtwig.

"Congratulations. You win the gold when it comes to being callous and non-sympathetic."

I began to protest, but was intterupted by a scream from Shelley. We both whirled and were first puzzled, then ecstatic by what we saw.

"S-Simon? I thought you were being digested by a Luxio right now!" cried Shelley as she bounced up and down excitedly.

Sure enough; the Natu was sitting directly in front of us; not seeming at all fazed by the fact he had been presumed eaten by Kenya. He dusted the leaf crumbles off of his wings and then shook himself.

"... Digested? You thought I was eaten? And by the way, it's apparently _Tak_ now."

Shelley was blubbering with tears of joy, so Claire stood forward.

"Well, yeah! When a tiny bird dissapears after a Luxio pounces on it, and then burps up a feather, naturally you assume he was eaten!"

Tak shot her a funny look, and then made some wierd whistling sound I assumed was laughter. "No, you got it all wrong," he chortled.

"So then what _did_ happen!?" I barked, "and how the fuck did you get here? Were you hiding this whole time!? Because that's a sick, twisted thing to do!"

Alarmed, he fluttered up and landed on an overhead branch. "Calm down," he cawed nervously, "you should know I can't control my Teleport technique."

Shelley's face brightened, "I get it now! You teleported away from Kenya when she attacked you out of fear, and then were spending all this time trying to get back!"

His beak curved upwards in a smile, and he swooped down to perch on her headleaf. "Exactly."

He turned and narrowed his eyes at me, "I may be insecure. And a coward. But one thing I am _not_, is cruel."

Claire nodded, and I dipped my head in apology.

"Shall we be heading back?" asked Claire with a raised eyebrow.

Shelley glanced at her non-eaten mate, and then back to Claire and I. "Yeah. They'll be excited to know Sim... I mean, _Tak_, isn't in Kenya's stomach."

_More so to know our favorite Luxio hasn't gone absolutely and completely insane,_ I thought to myself.

~o0o~

"Oh my gosh! It's a miracle!" squealed Julie as her uneaten Natu timidly perched on her shoulder. "Tak, I can't believe it! I thought you were gone for good!"

She stroked his sleek green feathers, and he cooed before looking down to Shelley. "I like her," he chirped.

Shelley grinned; and despite my alleged 'callous heart', I noticed she looked happier than ever before.

"Tak, no hard feelings, but you have to go in your Great Ball for a while. We're keeping you and Kenya seperate, and Kenya needs to know she didn't eat you."

The Natu looked crestfallen. "Okay. So I don't like her as much anymore."

He was sucked into his Ball, and Leah set Kenya out. Shelley glared at her from the corner of her eye; though she refrained from saying anything. The poor Luxio looked miserable. She looked at all of us, and before we had a chance to explain to her, she trotted off behind a tree.

"Where in the world is _she_ going," Tyson asked me.

Before I could answer, Dante did. "She has been cooped up in a Poke Ball for nearly two hours. Either she found another bird, or she needs to relieve herself."

Sure enough, she shamefully trotted back to us, looked at Shelley, and began bawling hysterically.

"Kenya, what's wrong?" I asked, completely unprepared for her answer.

"I t-think I just... um, well, I can't find a not-disgusting way to say it..." she sobbed.

Dante took his hands off his chronically aching head long enough to motion the distressed kitten over. "Then come here, Kenya. Tell me what you wanted to tell us, then I'll repeat it in a non-offensive manner."

"And after that, we have some good news to tell you," I added.

She sniffled, and then whispered into the side of his head where a duck's 'ear' is located. His expression went from placid to laughable in a matter of seconds, and as he announced what she wanted to tell us, he worked hard to stifle the laughter that was obviously bubbling up.

"Kenya would like to inform all of us... that she believes she has just _excreted _Shelley's boyfriend."

The solemn-faced Luxio was enough to hold my laughter at bay, but Tyson burst into snickers immediately following the announcement. Kenya's lower lip quivered, and she began bawling.

"I'm sorry I... _excreted_ your mate, Shelley!" she wailed.

Before it could go any farther, I stepped forward. "Kenya, there's something we've got to tell you..."

* * *

She curled up on the sofa next to the fireplace, and delighted in the crackling sound the flames made. She had found out how to manipulate the virtual world that was the Ultra Ball. It was a white void; that is, until you begin dreaming up things.

The Leafeon had an idea, and squeezed her liquid brown eyes shut tightly. She envisioned a juicy pork-chop, and then cracked open on eye. She yelped with excitement as she inhaled the smell of the meat she hadn't consumed in what seemed like ages, and then dove in to devour it. She felt herself become full as she polished it off, but to her dismay, she couldn't taste it at all.

A little disheartened, the Leafeon hopped back onto her dreamed-up sofa and sighed. Although the virtual world was slightly comforting, it was fake. Sure; she had filled the blank void with colors, furniture, and fireplace, but it was still just that. A _void_. Empty of life, of emotion, and of reality.

Immediately depressed by her realization, she trotted over to the fireplace and squinted at the dancing flames. Experimentally, she swished her tail through them. She winced as she did this; expecting a searing pain that would bring her back to reality. But she felt nothing. No pain, not even the warmth she craved.

Enraged by the fake world she had dreamed up, she fired a Shadow Ball at the fireplace. The purple energy passed through the fire, and even the brick hearth. Her head reeled as she tried to gather her surroundings. The cozy room she had dreamed up faded out, and she was once again in the white void. Trembling, she buried her teeth into her flesh; desperately wanting to feel pain; to know this was real. She felt nothing as her thick blood oozed from her self-inflicted wound, and she wailed in frustration.

_She had thought she could control this virtual world; manipulate it to satisfy her needs and make her happy._

The Leafeon cried out in distress once more. "Let me out of here! Please, God, I'm begging you!" she screamed, "I can't handle it anymore!"

Her voice faltered, and she slumped to the white ground. A burning tear rolled down her cheek, and she whispered her next words, "I can't control it anymore."

_Hot tears streamed down her face as the Leafeon began to sleep. Although on the brink of insanity, there was one thing she learned from the virtual world that nearly drove her mad;_

_There are some things in life you just cannot control._

* * *

**A/N: So, Kenya did not eat Tak (: She never did, it was just fun to make you wonder... Next chapter the gang begins the travel to Cerulean for our second Gym Badge.**

**And the reason Kit/Kelly is so close to insanity is a side-effect of the Lake Beings/ Arceus's tampering. **

**Hope you guys liked this chapter. **

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	49. Future Pokemon Master?

**A/N: ****RECAP: Okay, so Tak was _NOT _eaten by Kenya, and we saw how Kit was getting along. (Not well at all...) **

**By the way, I think I'll list Leah's Pokemon, current levels (by the end of the chappie), and moves known just to clear up confusion (: **

**Shadow (lv. 25): Tackle, Howl, Sand Attack, Bite, Odor Sleuth, Roar, Poison Fang, Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Yawn**

**Claire (lv. 23): Scratch, Growl, Ember, Smokescreen, Dragon Rage, Flamethrower, Scary Face, Dig**

**Kenya (lv. 20): Tackle, Leer, Charge, Bite, Spark (not the best move set :| at least she's fast!)**

**Tyson (lv. 22): Headbutt, Leer, Focus Energy, Pursuit, Take Down, Scary Face, Rock Tomb (received this TM from Brock) **

**Dante (lv. 22): Water Sport, Scratch, Tail Whip, Water Gun, Disable, Confusion**

* * *

Chapter Forty-Nine: 

"Pokemon Master"

The satisfying sound of another trainer delving into their wallet to pay up made me grin, although I was panting heavily.

The Venomoth that lay crumpled in the dust of Route 3 hadn't appeared to pose much of a challenge, but it's bug-type moves had proved difficult to overcome. The sun beat down on us as Leah beamed with pride; she was getting rich _quick_. It was mid-morning, and already she had won 4 battles and $270. Cash.

The girl we had defeated sprayed a Super Potion on her Venomoth, and it feebly fluttered back into the air. Leah waved goodbye good-naturedly, and the girl smiled in return.

"Not trying to be a downer, Lee, but at this rate we won't even get halfway to Mt. Moon by nightfall!" said Julie as she followed after us.

Shelley, Tak and I were the only ones out of our Balls, and it was peacefully quiet.

"Well, although that may be true, battling is an important component, too. Kenya's behind in levels, and I definitely need to get her caught up. She'll be a key component in fighting Misty."

Julie nodded. "Fair enough. So one more battle before we move on?"

"Yeah, one more should do it. Kenya just needs to raise one more level, and then I think we're good to head off to Mt. Moon."

So, we sat. And waited. And, waited some more. Eventually, a boy around Leah's age strolled by; tossing a Poke Ball leisurely in the air as he popped his gum.

"The cocky ones are the easiest," whispered Leah as she rose to her feet and strode over to him.

"Hi, would you like to-"

"Battle?"

He caught his Poke Ball and enlarged it, grinning smugly. "Of course. Six on six?"

Leah looked a little peeved he had finished her sentence for her, but managed a smile anyway.

"By the way, the name's Jeremy. Jeremy Finck. You might want to remember that name."

Leah cocked an eyebrow and folded her arms. "Oh really? And whys that?"

"Future Pokemon Master," he said casually with a shrug.

Leah rolled her eyes, and I mused at his self-confidence. Too bad it would be crushed in mere minutes when we beat the bull shit clean out of him. Or... so I thought at the time...

"So anyways," he continued, ignorantly unaware of the fact we thought he was a cocky asshole, "how about that battle?"

Despite the fact we lacked a sixth Pokemon, Leah was up for the challenge. "You bet. How much are we talking here?"

Jeremy shifted his feet; suddenly appearing uncomfortable. "Um... how about $50?"

"Is that all!?" I barked.

"Sure, whatever," mumbled Leah as she took her stance in the middle of the path, Poke Ball in hand. I sidled up next to her, sat down, and promptly yawned.

"Tucker, you're up!" he yelled, tossing a Poke Ball into the air. I was impressed when a Croconaw materialized, and roared while thrashing its tail.

"My newest Pokemon," stated Jeremy smugly.

"Kenya, show 'em what you got," said Leah simply as the Luxio appeared.

Her morale once again intact after realizing she was in fact _not _a murderer, she grinned sweetly at the Croconaw and waved her tail at him in greeting.

"Tucker, use Scratch!"

"Kenya, Charge!"

Kenya crouched low to the ground, and her fur began glowing with electrical energy as she charged up her next attack. Tucker raked his tiny claws over her muzzle, and she yelped in pain.

"Use Spark, Kenya."

"Dodge, then use Water Gun!"

Kenya ceased to glow, and narrowly avoided the Water Gun that was shot her way. And then another pillar of water came, but this time it slammed into her. The Croconaw, seeing it had hit, dove in and clamped onto Kenya's tail. She yelped in pain, but did nothing, as she hadn't been commanded.

"Tucker, erm, back off, and this time use Rage!"

Tucker shot him a fleeting glance, and then clamped down harder on her tail.

"Kenya, just use Spark!" pleaded Leah. "Trust me, it'll work!"

Trembling with uncertainty, Kenya began gaining as much speed as she could with her hitch-hiker's teeth embedded in her tail. When she became a blur, Jeremy's face had gone white.

"Let go, Tucker! Hurry!"

The Croconaw did not let go, however. So when Kenya hit top speed, and finally let loose the charged energy she had been harboring, Tucker got fried. Not only that, but he let go at that fateful moment, and was flung from her tail. He sailed in an arc, and gracefully slammed into the Route 3 sign. He slithered to the ground, and groaned.

"Get up, Tucker!" yelled Jeremy through cupped hands.

The Croconaw slowly rose, but on all fours this time.

"Now, Rage, Croconaw!" yelled Jeremy, and I remember thinking he had some brains, after all. Tucker looked more than pissed, and that Rage attack could do some damage.

But his tail swished, and he moved at a blinding pace towards Kenya, teeth gnashing.

"That's a Bite attack, Kenya! Dodge it, if you can, then counter with Bite!"

But the Croconaw was not going to fight nice. I could see it in his eyes; he was going for the throat.

"Forget what Leah said, Kenya!" I barked helplessly from the sidelines. "Run for your overly-ecstatic life!"

She screeched, and then took off running, becoming a blur once again. She slammed into the Croconaw from behind, and latched on using Bite. Although normally this would not do much; seeing as she couldn't penetrate his tough hide with her under-developed fangs, it was enough to faint the greatly weakened Croconaw.

"Tucker, return," grumbled Jeremy solemnly from his spot in the pathway.

Leah shot him a death look. "You need to learn to control your Pokemon."

His face flushed first with embarrassment, and then anger. "Hey, I'm a good trainer! I've caught tons of good Pokemon, and I don't care what you have to say about it! So can we _please_ just finish the battle?"

Leah looked to Kenya, whom nodded, although she was trembling from her near death experience.

Jeremy seemed relieved, and then enlarged a Poke Ball. "Rhonda, show her what I mean!"

To my surprise, a Rhyhorn stood facing Kenya. She roared, and stamped her foot impatiently.

"Oh... crud," mumbled Leah as Rhonda barreled forward with remarkable speed considering her bulk, slid her horn beneath Kenya's belly, and flicked her head upwards. She sent the Luxio spread-eagle and screaming through the air. Not wanting her to hit the ground and knowing Kenya was no match for the beast anyway, Leah recalled her in midair; the pink flash of light sucking her into the safety of her Ball.

"This is gonna be harder than I thought," she confessed to me as she enlarged a Poke Ball of her own. "Dante, kick some rocky ass!"

The Psuduck materialized, blinked once at the massive Rhyhorn, and guffawed.

"Excellent decision sending me out, Miss Leah," he commented, "not only do our types match up splendidly in my favor, but Rhyhorns are also known for being dim-witted. This should be most easy!"

Rhonda roared, and charged at him; flinging into the air in the same way she had Kenya. He flailed, and then shot Water Gun at the ground to slow his fall. He landed inches from her face, and she finally spoke.

"Big words, coming from the one who just got flung three stories into the air. Just so you know, don't count on your intelligence helping you too much here. You of all Pokemon should understand how insulting it is when people underestimate you due to your species stereo-type."

His eyes widened, and he rose to his webbed feet. "Now, may we continue?" she asked, her voice losing its edge and becoming more warm. He nodded, and waddled back to Leah.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow, "Okay... so I think our Pokemon just had a conversation?"

Leah shrugged, "Doesn't matter. Let's keep going, with a Water Gun!"

"Protect, Rhonda!"

Dante shot a pressurized pillar of water at the _intelligent_ beast, but it harmlessly hit the green forcefield she had generated.

"Keep it up, Rhonda, and use Horn Attack!"

"Fend her off with Water Gun!" commanded Leah calmly.

But it was a fultile attempt. Somehow, Rhonda managed to maintain Protect whilst she narrowed the distance between her and Dante. When she was mere feet away from him, the Protect vanished and both attacks connected. Dante yelped as her horn slammed into him, and moaned as he groped his head. Rhonda made an eerie hissing noise as the water made contact, and shook her head furiously.

"Dante, Confusion!"

"Rhonda, Fury Attack!"

The Rhyhorn jabbed Dante four times with her dulled horn before he managed to invade her mind. She immediately froze, and then shook her massive head back and forth, feral snarls escaping her maw. Dante crawled away from the confused Rhyhorn, gasping as he clutched his head with one paw and his side with the other. Large, purplish bruises began to appear through his yellow down feathers, and when he coughed, a little blood came up.

"Dante, hang in there buddy," said Leah concernedly.

"Trying, Miss Leah," he replied impatiently through clenched beak.

Rhonda shook her head once again, and then slammed her head the ground. She continued to pound, and then eventually collapsed to the soil. An eye cracked open, and she chuckled; her confusion had melted away. "You're not half bad," she grunted to Dante, before being recalled by Jeremy.

"You did a really good job, Rhonda," he said as he clipped her Poke Ball back onto his belt.

"Lookin good, Leah!" hollered Julie from behind us.

Leah shot her a grateful smile, and then turned to me; her look changing to a grim one. "I think I'm beginning to understand why he expects to be the Pokemon Master. I mean, c'mon. A _Croconaw_ and a _Rhyhorn_!? If the rest of his Pokemon are half that rare and powerful, we're screwed. Big time." I gave her hand a reassuring lick, and then whimpered along with her as his next Pokemon materialized; only to further prove her point.

"Hiya, little Psyduck!" chirped the Tropius that loomed over him. Although large, it only stood at about 5'00", instead of the normal 6'07". It smiled, and then licked Dante on the top of the head. "Do you wanna play!?"

"Pyro! This is no time to be making new friends!" said Jeremy with a laugh. "Use Gust!"

Pyro giggled, and then flapped his giant leaves; creating a gust that more annoyed Dante than anything else.

"Confusion, Dante!"

"Enough playing around, Pyro! Use Razor Leaf!"

Before Dante had a chance to muster up the Confusion attack, the sharpened leaves collided with him, and he fainted on the spot. Leah recalled him, whispered something to his Poke Ball I couldn't hear, and then drew what I could only assume would be Claire's Poke Ball. Sure enough; Claire appeared on the field and roared; brandishing her claws.

Pyro, unfazed by her display of 'prowess', giggled, "Let's play nice, okay?"

Claire smirked, and Leah commanded a Flamethrower. The flames singed the fruit that hung from his neck, and he yelped.

"Pyro, Gust!"

The column of wind blew the Charmeleon back a few feet, but did virtually no damage. "Now, Stomp!"

"Shit, Claire, get out of the way!"

Although evolution had made her more powerful, it hadn't done much to improve her speed. Pyro zoomed forward and brought his massive foot down onto her tiny, clawed one. Claire yelped, and then slashed his leg with her claws. Pyro roared in agony as she then blasted him with a Flamethrower. She dug in her claws, and began scaling his leg.

"Good, Claire! He can't reach you to attack if you're on his back-"

"Headbutt, Pyro!"

The Tropius swiveled his head around, and then slammed it into Claire, knocking her off his back.

"Okay, so maybe I was mistaken," mumbled Leah as Claire retaliated with yet another Flamethrower.

This time, however, it managed to scald the Tropius bad enough that it slumped to the ground; utterly defeated. Claire, although rather agitated, looked like she was in pretty good shape. Which was a blessing; seeing as we were a Pokemon short and one of us, either me, Claire, or Tyson, would need to defeat two of his Pokemon if we wanted to win. Jeremy looked at his last three Poke Balls, and finally selected one of them.

"Kira, you're next!"

A Girafarig stood on the field, and blinked slowly at Claire. "Ah, you look strong. Perhaps this will be fun."

Claire smirked and replied playfully, "Only if your definition of fun is getting your ass burnt to a crisp!"

Kira and her tail smiled, and suddenly went into motion, galloping circles around Claire as she used Agility. I glared at Jeremy, whom had a confident smirk on his face.

"Lil' fucker," I snarled, "you _would_ send out a fast Pokemon."

Claire repeatedly used Scary Face in a desperate attempt to slow Kira, but it was futile. A multi-colored beam made of supersonic rings blasted Claire in the back of the head, and Kira slowed from Agility. Claire snarled, and let loose a pillar of flames point blank. Kira howled in pain, and then retaliated with yet another Psybeam.

Both Jeremy and Leah were yelling directions from the sidelines, but the commands fell on deaf ears. It had become a grudge match; and they were being tuned out as Kira and Claire narrowed their focus to only one thing. Their opponent.

Kira charged up electricity between her tiny antlers and fired a Charge Beam. Claire dove underground and avoided it, then burst from the ground and slammed into Kira. The Girafarig grunted in pain, and then used Tackle. Claire took the hit, and then dug her claws into Kira's flesh. Kira wailed and began flailing, but Claire managed to hold on long enough to use Dragon Pulse. The purple, crackling energy wave jolted Kira, and the head on her tail clamped onto Claire's tail. She roared in agony, and then blazed her tail, and the singed head recoiled, hissing angrily.

This type of all-out battle continued for quite some time, until a Psybeam and Flamethrower collided and caused a small explosion. Jeremy and Leah stopped their commands and stood, awestruck, as both Pokemon lay stretched out on the field; completely spent. Kira weakly lifted her head. "That was quite entertaining, Charmeleon."

Claire nodded, grinning, before both of them were simultaneously sucked into their Balls.

I drew a deep breath. We had leveled the playing field. Now, we each had two Pokemon. Leah didn't motion for me to get in battle stance, so I knew instantly she had picked Tyson for this battle. Question was, which of his two Pokemon would Jeremy chose?

He smiled, and tossed his next Ball into the air at the exact same time Leah did. Tyson materialized and thumped his tail on the ground.

"Show 'em who's boss, Electra!"

The Jolteon that faced Tyson sat down, yawned, and shot Jeremy a bored look. It was then I noticed she was rather pudgy, as far as Jolteon's go.

"Must I battle?" she asked in a lazy tone.

"Electra, c'mon," groaned Jeremy. "Double Kick."

She rose to her feet and easily strode over to Tyson. She lifted her hindleg to kick him, but he used Headbutt before she coud finish the attack.

"Good work, Tyson!" cheered Julie from the sidelines.

I heard a snort, "You dumb cunt. He didn't do anything but hit her with his fucking head! That fat-ass, lazy Jolteon just didn't dodge!"

I grinned. Shelley, for the record; you never fail to make me bust out laughing.

"Quick Attack!" called Jeremy desperately.

Electra trotted over to Tyson and slammed into him. He didn't even budge, and actually laughed as she tumbled away from him; having not built up enough momentum. The chubby Jolteon indignantly rose to her feet, and used Double Kick. She caught him square in the jaw, and then in the stomach. Tyson immediately stopped laughing, and finally got serious.

"Fuck you," growled Electra, "I happen to have a thyroid problem."

Before he could reply or defend himself, Leah ordered a Rock Tomb. Six large rocks appeared at his feet, and Tyson hit each of them into the air one by one. They encircled Electra, and the sixth one landed in the middle of the circle; the force of its impact sending her sprawling across the ground. She shakily rose to her feet, only to get hit in the side by a Take Down. Tyson backed up and prepared for another Headbutt, but Electra got up and waddled over to Jeremy.

"Damn it, Jerm, I'm done. This is exhausting."

He scratched his head, and then bent down to examine her. "Electra, are you quitting the battle? You don't look hurt or anything... are you sure?"

She looked back at Tyson, and then up to him again. "Positive."

He sighed exasperatedly, and then reluctantly recalled her. He looked up at Leah and his face flushed.

"Erm... sorry. She's been sorta depressed lately, so I'm not gonna push it," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck, "she's my starter, after all."

Leah held up both hands. "Don't apologize. It's good you care for your Pokemon."

"Oh cut the shit and get this fucking battle OVER WITH already!" yelled Shelley.

"Shelley," scolded Tak, "be nice. The battle will be over soon."

I then tuned out their conversation, for Jeremy had just sent out his next Pokemon.

"Oh crap," was all Leah could mutter as the Heracross bowed to Tyson.

"Greetings, Cranidos," he hissed, "I believe you're about to get your ass handed to you by a giant beetle."

His arm whipped from his side in a Brick Break attack, which Tyson narrowly avoided.

"Keep it up, Ivan!" cheered Jeremy, "we've got this one in the bag."

And that they did. Tyson would fall the minute Ivan made contact, and then I would have to contend with the Heracross; whom happened to be the two types that were super-effective against me. Jeremy calmly watched as Tyson slammed into Ivan with a Headbutt that did virtually no damage. Suddenly, it hit me like a blow to the face. I stared at him in pure awe. The little shit had planned it all along. He had saved the Heracross; betting Leah would save me for last.

I heard a thud as Tyson fell to the ground; out cold from a Brick Break. Ivan bowed to him, and then turned to Jeremy, whom nodded. Leah grimly motioned to me, and I reluctantly trotted onto the battlefield.

And five minutes later; I was face-planted in the soil, bruised physically and emotionally. Ivan, whom only bore one battle scar; a burn mark on his shoulder from Fire Fang, bowed once before being sucked back into his Poke Ball.

I feebly pushed myself up, and limped over to Leah ashamedly. She patted my head and hugged me close. "It's okay, Shadow. That was a battle well-fought."

Jeremy walked over to us, hands in his pockets, and stared down at me. Leah rose to her feet, dusted off her pants, and extended her fist that had the $50 tightly clenched in it. He took it, beaming, and then looked back at Leah's crestfallen face. Then, he did the most unexpected thing. He grabbed Leah's hand, and pressed the bill firmly into her palm.

"Tell you what," he said with a smile, "instead of you having to pay me; how about I give you the opportunity to dine at the Pokemon Center with the future Pokemon Master?"

She hesitated, and he withdrew his hand. "I've never fought such a hard battle. And, my last real conversation was with a sadistic Nurse Joy who told me she hoped to see me again..." he trailed off when he noticed Leah staring at him in a questioning way.

"Look, I don't need this money; the battle was fun enough. So I thought it would just be a nice way to talk to another trainer."

Leah smiled, and shook his hand. "Sounds great."

* * *

**A/N: New longest chapter ever! YAYZ..**

**Sorry it was entirely battle-chapter, but its a nice way to move them along through Route 3, I think. As for the poll; you all voted Kenya and Shadow as your favorite characters, with Shelley and Kelly in second. That poll is officially closed, and now a poll will go up for the next LITM victim. XD **

**Next chapter will have some conversation, and we'll hear from some other characters... aka Kelly and Celebi! **

**Until then,**

**~Shelby**


	50. Assumptions

**A/N: ReCAP: .... we had a battle with a cocky kid, who turned out to be sorta nice and is going to have a meal with Shadow & co. FILLER!!! :/**

**Now to the important stuff. Chapter 50; a marvelous milestone. Without you, the reader; this story wouldn't have gotten near this far. **

**So thank you to... Petit-Sapphire-Jai, Finalsmasher13, Onatu, ClinicallyInsaneAndDangerous, Joshjmur, Skylaar Wolf, Mysterystar of DawnPack, kirby163, SorenPlusHolly, Uber Ghidorah, Niyomi, Heavy Metang, LITM FAN, mr sonic 101, Tayyaba, MewPokemonLegends, Yereton, I Love Lucario, pokemaniac1234, SomeOtherPerson, CyberWolf101, Scott Le Dot, RaveMaster Shinobi, CrazyAipom, Crobat726, OvErLoRd Darkspine, anonymous reviewers, swack16, Illusion Factory, Blaze, The Bookmaster, Sad Fan, Eeveeloution's of Eevee-.-Eon, ChocolateLover, Snowy Leopard, Imagination-Is-Life, TotalPotato, belhotte, rickky, dominik, Person, and eddy**

**Whether you reviewed once, twice, or every chapter; I appreciated it. Whether you gave a well-rounded review, pointed out an error, or said stuff not so nice; it still means a lot you took the time to read. Thank you to all of you; and to the readers who weren't listed, I'm sorry! I went off who has reviewed; but even if you don't review and still follow LITM, thank you as well!!**

**This chapter is dedicated to you all. I hope you feel it does you justice!**

* * *

Chapter Fifty:

Assumptions

I regarded him carefully as he healed his Pokemon on the magical machine. Jeremy was two years older than Leah; and that meant he was probably a hormonal little fucker, and I didn't want him messing with Leah.

The walk to the Pokemon Center had been a rather awkward one. Julie and Leah hadn't spoken much with Jeremy; and he hadn't talked much with them. Now, as he came and sat down beside us; I was beginning to wonder what the hell we had gotten ourselves into.

"He's kind of... awkward, isn't he?" said Tyson as he yawned and leaned up against Leah's chair.

"Yeah, he is," I muttered as he sat down beside us at the table.

Leah and Julie had already started eating, and were looking up at him expectantly. Jeremy let his Jolteon out of its Ball. It looked around, saw where we were, and plopped down.

"Well fuck."

Curious as to what her problem was, I rolled over to face her. "What's your issue?" I barked.

She blinked slowly at me, "Do you want the nice truth, or the honest truth?"

"Honest truth."

She sighed and looked around, "Rhonda's not out of her Poke Ball, so now I have to make new friends. Christ, I just _hate_ socializing!"

I raised an eyebrow. "You know... no one says you _have_ to be nice to us. Or even talk to us, for that matter."

The Jolteon laughed, and when she did she jiggled slightly. "Oh please; as if being fat wasn't bad enough. Then I'd be fat _and_ friendless," she said dryly.

I found myself chuckling and my tail wagging. "Allow me to make this easier on you. Hi, my name is Shadow; would you like to be my friend?"

She looked puzzled at my rebuttle, but then smiled again. "Haha. Aren't you fuckin hilarious. And you can call me Jodi, that's my real name. I won't answer to Electra."

I nodded; understanding why she might dislike the name. It didn't suit her personality as well as 'Jodi' did.

At that moment in time, our eyes locked; and my stomach churned as I watched her death unfold.

~o0o~

_She stood naked in front of her mirror; tears streaming down her face. Her thick, black makeup was smeared and botched; running down her face as she examined herself with scrutiny. _

_The thin, white scars that crept up her arm were streaked with red as she expertly slit her wrists; wincing when her salty tears dripped into the lacerations and made them sting. Her chubby cheeks were pale as she began slashing the other arm. I noticed how pudgy she was next of all. _

_She suddenly collapsed to the ground; bleeding and sobbing. "Are you fucking happy now!?" she screamed in a haunted voice. _

_The mirror offered no response; and she flung a shoe at it. The glass shattered; and the reflection she hated dissapeared amongst the shards. She crawled onto her bed and sobbed; feeling alone and misunderstood; like so many other young girls who are rejected due to appearance. _

_Her bright blue eyes flicked to her bedside table; where she had hidden the sleeping tablets. Just in case, she had told herself as she hid them there months before. Well, as she popped them into her mouth one by one, the bitterness of them distracting her from her stinging arms; she began to realize she had known all along she couldn't do it. She was fat, poor, and ugly. If no one loved her, how in the hell could she love herself? _

_Her lids began to feel heavy, and an intense wave of drowsiness washed over her. I cringed as her pale blue eyes dulled, and then became hidden beneath her eyelids that were covered in lime green eyeshadow..._

~o0o~

I yelped as I was jerked back to reality; and Jodi looked at me knowingly. I couldn't look her in the eye.

"Sorry about that," she said abruptly. "If I had known about the rules of rebirth; I would've worn my Sunday best before commiting suicide," she said jokingly.

In all honesty, I had completely forgotten her nudity.

"I don't give a shit about that," I snapped, "I just can't believe you were so ungrateful as to kill yourself! Most people have no say in the matter; but you threw it all away. You didn't deserve to be reborn, you cowardly, selfish bitch!" I snarled; a deep growl rumbling in my throat.

As I said this, of course; I was wondering deep down why Kelly couldn't have been reborn.

I expected electrocution, or cursing, or maybe even an explanation from the Jolteon, but instead she simply blinked. "So... I'm guessing you want to take back your friendship offer?"

Her response shocked me so much that it angered me. "What the hell is wrong with you!? I just called you all those things, and all you can do is make a joke about it!?"

By then we had the attention of all the other Pokemon; whom had paused from their stale Pokefood to stare at the escalating, one-sided arguement. Jodi seemed not at all fazed by the attention, and calmly held my gaze.

"It doesn't anger me, because you're absolutely right," she said simply with a shrug.

I gaped at her, and she sighed. "It was a selfish, idiotic, spiteful, cowardice thing to do," she agreed, "but I realize that now. And I think that, since I've been reborn; I've learned to appreciate life and not to take it for granted." She paused, sneezed, and then continued. "You have a right to be angry. But not at the Jolteon you see before you. Be angry at the girl who looked in the mirror and hated what she saw all those years ago."

And with that, she hefted her bulk up and walked over to Jeremy; crawling up and sitting in his lap. I stared at her for a fleeting moment, and then lay down with my head between my paws; feeling like a pompous asshole for thinking I knew Jodi better than she knew herself.

* * *

He selected the burnt orange colored plate from the stone wall where it hung on the wall, and pressed the jewel on his chest up against it. The tablet was absorbed into the gem; and his white body glowed once with reddish energy before returning to it's original hue. And just like that; he was a fire-type.

"Master, you summoned me?"

Arceus whirled to see the Medicham whom had spoken bent on one knee; a display of respect.

_"Jabari. A pleasure to see you,"_ boomed the false god; his deep voice echoing off the stone walls of the Hall of Origin.

The Medicham winced slightly, and then rose to his feet. "What is it you require of me, Master?" asked the Medicham; anxious to know how he could please the giant stag.

_"A new plan; one I need your assistance in carrying out."_

Jabari raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Master, is this another indirect attack on Celebi? You do realize the only thing you've accomplished with the Leafeon is driving her mad, don't you?"

Arceus narrowed his eyes; and Jabari could sense the intense fury at the blatant accusation. He decided to try a different approach.

"What I meant, Master Arceus, was that Celebi is much too heartless to care if anyone is hurt, other than the Mightyena. And so; I was suggesting you try a new approach. A more... _direct_ method, perhaps."

Arceus nodded. _"You are wise to think such a thing; but that was what I was planning. Would you care to hear what I request of you, or are there any more 'suggestions' you want to blurt out first?" _

The Medicham's cheeks flushed at the harshly spoken words, but he nodded slowly. "My apologies," he mumbled as he knelt once more.

Arceus paused to examine him slowly, and then began. _"I need you to assemble a fleet of about 20 of your best fighters, Jabari. They're job will be not to kill off the Pokemon; but merely to injure them enough to cause Celebi to appear to come rescue her precious mortal."_

Jabari nodded, "So you need a diversion?"

_"In a sense, yes. But I need a diversion that can last long enough for me to accomplish my task."_

The Medicham raised an eyebrow as he leaned up against the stone wall casually. "And what task is that, exactly? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

But Jabari could tell by the god's aura that he was itching to reveal what he had in store.

_"My goal is to get her out of hiding, and then to..._ teach her a lesson, _if you will."_

Jabari looked stunned, "Master, you certainly know you cannot kill off another legendary; it is forbidden."

Arceus opened his maw and a ear-shattering Hyper Voice escaped. Jabari's calm state of mind was rattled to the core as he collapsed to the floor; his slender hands clamped to his head.

_"Do you honestly believe these laws apply to me!? I am the alpha, the omega! I OBEY NO ONE!"_

The Medicham sidestepped the debris that crumbled from the ceilings, and then rubbed his temples. He would have to meditate all night long to refocus his thoughts.

"Master Arceus; forgive me. But you understand how this will unbalance nature, don't you?"

Arceus arrogantly snorted. _"I am the creator of everything in this world. Whatever I destroy, I can recreate. I have no laws; the world is mine for the taking! You cannot stop me; no one can! Now choose your fate, noble Jabari! Will you remain loyal to me, and battle; living up to your namesake? Or will you back away now, as I challenge authority!?"_

The Medicham's face hardened at the harshly spoken words. _You speak as if I have a choice,_ he thought to himself as he reluctantly nodded at his master. Arceus smugly grinned at the display of royalty, _"Good decision. Have your fleet assembled in three days time. I will meet you here, and I will take us to Kanto."_

Jabari bowed abruptly, and then put his palms together in front of his face. He nodded once more, and then faded from the view of the behemoth white stag.

* * *

"So Leah, I have a question. Where on earth did you get a Mightyena?"

My ears pricked up at this. It hadn't occurred to me that he might fear me. Or perhaps even hate me. But his eyes showed none of those things; they only reflected honest curiosity. Leah picked up Kenya, whom was purring, and began stroking her.

"It's a long story. But he's harmless, and just misunderstood. He'd never hurt anyone; unless he was protecting us, of course."

Jeremy nodded, and began scratching Jodi under the chin. "I figured it couldn't be an entire breed of Pokemon that was bad. But, what's this long story? I'm curious as to how you got a Luxio, Cranidos, _and_ a Mightyena here in Kanto." He saw the uncomfortable look Julie had on her face, and then blurted out, "Of course, if it's personal, I understand if-"

"It's fine," said Leah with a weak smile, "but since it's long, how about we let _all_ of the Pokemon outside. We can see them from the window; and that way they aren't cooped up here."

Jeremy smiled, and enlarged his five other Poke Balls. "Good idea. They'd love that."

The Heracross appeared, and bowed to Jeremy. (creepy, right?)

"Ivan; can you take the others outside and keep an eye on them for me?"

Ivan nodded, and then scooped the remaining four Poke Balls up and moved out the door; Kenya, Claire, Tyson, and Dante in tow. Jodi, however, yawned and curled up into a tighter ball on Jeremy's lap.

"Electra, aren't you going to go out with the others?"

She cracked open an eye and stared at him. "Uhm...try no. Sorry to dissapoint, Jerm."

He nudged her with his leg. "C'mon, ol' girl. It'll do you some good."

She growled irritably, and then jumped down. "Damnit, I wanted to hear the fuckin story!"

As she made her way to the exit, I trotted up behind her. "Hey, listen Jodi, I just wanted-"

"Apology accepted," she snorted as the automatic doors parted, "and no hard feelings."

_What is it with you Kanto people and finishing sentences! _

"Erm, so are you sure we're cool?"

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse me; I have a slightly demented Croconaw to attend to."

"Okay, so I... wait, what?"

She trotted over to the group and my eyes instantly flicked to Tyson; whom had said Croconaw mauling his thick head.

"Get it off of me!" he screeched.

Jodi sighed and fired a Shadow Ball at Tucker. Her aim was true, and he was sent sprawling away from Tyson.

"Die die die DIE!" it screeched, before jumping onto all fours and rushing towards Tyson again. Jodi calmly electrocuted him, and then pinned him down with he four paws.

"No no no, Tuck. That's not how _nice_ Pokemon behave," she said sweetly while shaking her head.

She looked back to Ivan, whom tossed a Poke Ball into the air; recalling the 'demented' Croconaw. With that situation handled, Jodi flopped down in the sunlight and began snoring almost immediately.

Suddenly alone, I looked aroun to find someone to talk to. Claire and Kira, the Girafarig, were leaning up against a tree; eating apples Kira would reach up and get. Shelley and Tak (go figure) had gone off flying somewhere. Tyson was trying (and failing miserably) to converse with Ivan; whom stood stock still, and Dante was having an enlightened conversation with Rhonda.

"That's fascinating, Rhonda. I never thought of it that way-"

This is where I zoned out on their conversation. I figured the only thing that would result from listening in was that I'd end up confused and with a headache to rival Dante's. So, rather, I moved to the most interesting pair yet.

"Would you like a banana, pretty little kitty?" asked Pyro in a stupidly sweet voice

He lowered his head and she began eating one.

"I love Kanto, don't you?" asked Kenya with a contented sigh.

"Oh, most certainly," chirped the dino, "the constant sunshine is just marvelous!"

A little disheartened that everyone was enjoying themselves, (minus me and Ivan) I slumped to the ground and just observed. I heard an exasperated sigh, and then Jodi rolled her flabby body over to face me. She stared at me for a moment, thoughtfully, and then cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, are you going to come over here and tell me that story I'm missing, or not?"

My tail involuntarily wagged as I hestitantly trotted over to her, and began to describe the past.

* * *

She glared at Flareon that sat in front of her; staring at her with hungry eyes.

"I haven't seen you around here before," he said in a thick voice.

"That's because I'm new, dumbass," she growled irritably.

In truth; she was nervous. She had been released into the breeding chamber moments before this Flareon arrived; and she knew what was expected of her.

"Ah, you're a frisky one," he said in a low, rumbling voice, "that makes for quite the interesting mating session, you know."

Enraged by his bold advances, she fired a Shadow Ball at his head. He dodged easily to the side, and she scrambled away.

"A chase. How arousing," he chuckled.

"Get the fuck away from me!" she screeched shrilly as he backed her into corner.

Her flesh began stinging as his flaming pelt pressed nearer to her. In a desperate attempt to rid herself of him, she fired one more Shadow Ball. The dark energy slammed him in the chin, and any 'playful' demeanor vanished from his face; revealing pure rage.

"Bitch," he snarled through clenched teeth. He opened his mouth and a fireball escaped; causing her to scream in pain when it struck. She slumped to the ground; panting. He strode over to the defeated Leafeon, and began to circle her.

"Now, time to get down to business," he growled.

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Since this IS the 50th chapter, would you mind reviewing? Please? **

**~Shelby**


	51. Simplicity Can Be Complicated

**A/N: RECAP... So basically last chapter was; Found out Jodi is in fact a reborn, etc., Leah explained to Jeremy about her past (Shadow did the same for Jodi), Kelly got raped by a Flareon (not a nice way to say it; so I might as well be blunt.), and we heard from our favorite legendary, ARCEUS!!! -.- you had better be able to tell that is extreme sarcasm.**

**Also; as a reference to those who might have issues remembering who of Jeremy's Pokemon is who; I created a list. (Yes, SorenPlusHolly, this is intended for you) XD lol**

**Pyro: Tropius... Ivan: Heracross... Kira: Girafarig... Jodi: Jolteon... Tucker: Croconaw... Rhonda: Rhyhorn **

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-One: **

**Simplicity Can Be Complicated...**

"What do you think it is, Tak?"

He looked up at the Turtwig, and then shrugged. "Dunno, Shel. I wouldn't be trying to open it if I knew."

She sighed impatiently as he began plucking at the leather straps furiously; desperate to know what the pouch concealed.

"Well, excuse me for asking," she said with a huff, "But think about it. I mean; if a Delcatty randomly died in front of a person; its a natural thing for them to be curious as to what the pouch she was protecting contains."

Tak cursed under his breath as he pulled away from the leather; unsuccessful in his endeavor to open it. "Right. Because _so_ many people have had this experience, you know."

Shelley stiffened at his harsh sarcasm, and then headbutted him off the branch they were perched on. "Fine, you hateful little shit. Get off my fucking branch; and let me handle this."

Tak cawed in protest as he landed on the ground, but she paid him no heed as she angrily began clawing at the leather with her forepaws. In her frenzy; the pouch fell from the branch and landed with a thud.

"Mother fucker!" cried Shelley in surprise at her failed attempt.

"Told you," said Tak flippantly with a sniffle, as he collected the pouch once more in his talon. "We should be heading back. Julie may have missed us by now."

Shelley sighed, and then gave him consent to perch on her headleaf, and then lift her up into the dazzling blue sky.

* * *

"So, what do ya say? Would you like to travel with us?"

Such a simple question; but one to which the answer would prove crucial to our future. Leah smiled warmly; her hand extended in a gesture of friendship, and waited for the answer she expected.

Although uneasy about a certain someone's intentions and hormonal issues; I have to admit I was thrilled by the prospect. Jeremy was a powerful trainer, and a good example for Leah to follow. Pyro and Kenya were in puppy love, Dante and Rhonda loved one another's company, Claire had become good friends with Kira, and I had come to rather enjoy Jodi's sarcastic, blunt, and funny outlook on life.

It all made perfect sense he travel with us; in the ideal world, that is.

"Erm, no thanks," he said flatly, waving his hand as if ridding himself of a bad smell.

Such a simple question; with such a complicated, cataclysmic answer. The faces surrounding him fell in dissapointment, and he shrugged.

"It's nothing personal, believe me. I just... rather enjoy solitude sometimes. Talking to you was nice; but I think I'd rather just rough it out with my Pokemon on this journey. I think the bonding process will go better if its just us."

Julie looked crushed, while Leah had a thin smile on her lips. Jeremy seemed to suddenly realize just how hurt everyone was by his decision, so he continued.

"I've really enjoyed hanging out with you guys; and I know the Pokemon had fun, too. Maybe I'll see you around some time?"

He extended his hand for Leah's to shake it, but she retracted her arm, and it fell limply to her side. His face flushed a deep maroon, and he instead shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Excellent. Well, it was nice meeting you..."

He hurriedly recalled all of his Pokemon, excluding Jodi, and waved once more before heading out the door. Jodi looked just as confused about his reaction as we were. She shot me an apologetic look, before reluctantly trudging behind her trainer; off to Pewter City for their first Gym Battle which they were certain to win. And just like that; they were gone.

Kenya and Dante were bawling; their soulmates headed the opposite direction we were, Claire looked a little saddened, and Julie looked stunned. Leah simply sucked in her breath, and then shook her head in what I thought might possibly be disgust.

"Well, that's that. Shall we head on to Mt. Moon?"

Her voice was too peppy; and I knew she was masking the hurt of being rejected. But, seeing as I couldn't exactly comfort her, (the whole language barrier thing) I simply chose to ignore it. Comfort was _not_, nor will it ever _be_, my department. So we strolled out the doors without looking back, and began the half mile trudge up to the omnious mountain that loomed overhead. We hadn't been walking five minutes when Tak and Shelley showed up, both looking frustrated.

"Where have _you_ two been?" asked Claire sheepishly.

Tak shrugged casually, "Nowhere of importance. Just felt like going for a quick fly."

Although I declined to believe them, I once again pursued the truth no further. I simply wanted to get through the freakin mountain as fast as possible, and get back to civilization. Period.

"Wow. It's really dark in there," said Julie in an awed tone.

"No duh dipshit. It's a _tunnel," _said Shelley grumpily as we headed inside.

Claire's blazing tail managed to illuminate the depths of the tunnel; but not very much of it. So naturally, we were forced to bunch up and walk close together.

"Ouch. You stepped on my foot, Tyson," whined Kenya.

"You have three more," he grunted as he stumbled over a loose rock.

"Gah! Fellow humans and Pokemon, halt! I can't- SHIT!"

There was silence, and then Dante spoke again in a much higher-pitched voice, "I cannot keep up this blasted pace!"

"Two bucks says he just ran into a stalagmite groin-first," Claire whispered to Tyson.

He smirked, "You're on."

Enter Dante; waddling, blushing, and clutching said area.

"...Damn," swore Tyson, "I don't have any money."

"You, my friend, are your own special brand of stupid," I barked as Claire rolled her eyes, "Of course you don't have any money, you fucktard! Pokemon don't have cash."

"I have an idea!" chirped Julie abruptly, whom had Tak perched on her shoulder and Shelley in her arms, "Why don't you carry Kenya, Leah; and then have Dante ride on Shadow's back? That way he could keep up, and Kenya would be out of Tyson's way."

"That, is possibly the single _worst_ idea you've ever had. Remind me who invited you on this journey again?" I snarled.

"How come I can't be the one to hitch a ride?" snapped Claire, "is it because I weigh more? Are you insinuating I'm _fat_, Julie!?"

"Calm down," said Shelley soothingly, "she only meant that since Dante's been lagging behind, he should ride on Shadow's back."

So it came to be the little duck was hoisted up, and straddled my back directly behind my shoulderblades.

"This is degrading," I mumbled.

"No kidding," grumbled Dante as he shifted to the left a little, "not to mention slightly awkward."

"Slightly," snorted Tyson, "doesn't even _begin_ to describe your situation."

"Oh, leave them be!" yelled Shelley from up front in Julie's arms, "Why don't you guys stop with the 'oh woe is me' crap and just be positive? Like, why don't we enjoy the fact that its about ten degrees cooler in here than it was outside?"

"She's got a point," chirped Tak from Julie's shoulder; ever faithful.

"Can it, birdbrain," snarled Claire as her flame intensified.

"I don't know what you guys are going on about," yelled Leah suddenly, "but stop it! Or else you all go in your Poke Balls. I'm sick of the bickering."

Tensions high, we continued on into the dark. Various voices could be heard from up ahead; and it was then we entered a cavern. Here, there were flaming torches lining the walls; the dim lights flickering eerily on the stalagmites. A few trainers were camped out on the edges of the dismal room; campfires ablaze and tents pitched. We had just passed through when we heard someone shout for us to stop. Leah turned; and it was then I saw Kenya was fast asleep in her arms. No wonder she had been so quiet.

"You do realize there's no other places to rest, other than this cavern, don't you?" asked the little girl whom had stopped us.

"Well... no," said Julie as she readjusted Shelley's weight, "can't people just sleep in the tunnel on the rest of the way?"

The girl squirmed, "Well, sure you _could_, but the Zubats will swoop down and suck your blood. If you want to avoid them, so have to stay in the light," she said simply with a shrug. "Do whatever you want, but consider yourself warned."

Leah glanced over at the looming dark beyond the cavern, and then at us; her travel-weary Pokemon. "So, change of plans, guys. We're spending the night."

~o0o~

It took Julie and Leah a total of about fifteen minutes to set up camp. Camp consisted of their bedrolls stretched ou on a small, battered tarp of Julie's, and a small fireplace with borrowed wood from another trainer. Leah and Julie were currently asleep. Chatter between all the trainers echoed off the wall, and I found the whole scene to be a little macabre for my liking. So, I curled up at the foot of Leah's bedroll; tail wrapped around my nose to keep it warm.

As I listened to her steady breathing; I began to understand why Jeremy might have decided to travel on his own. While there were certain advantages to having a traveling partner; the bond between Pokemon and human grew strong through nights like these.

Kenya scooted over and curled up next to me as well, and her warmth made me suddenly drowsy. As I watched the firelights dance across the stone walls, I began to think simple thoughts. What would be different about my life if Kelly hadn't died? What if Wes had kept me for himself? What if...

I swallowed the hard, bitter lump that had formed in my throat and blinked back hot, angry tears. The question that had been on my mind all that day; branded into my brain with a hot iron.

_Why hadn't Kelly been reborn?_

* * *

She blinked blearily, and then scrambled to her feet. The first thing she realized after awakening was that she wasn't dead. The second thing she noticed was that she was not in the breeding chamber any longer; she was in fact outside.

The third thing she realized were the burns.

Her entire underbelly was red, oozing, and raw. She retched at the sight, and then shakily lay back down. Her head reeled as horrid memories floated back to her.

_Flames licked her skin as he pressed ever nearer; and she was too weak to ward him off._

She shakily began licking her raw underside; where the hair was singed and blackened.

_She screeched; the pain that engulfed her was torturous. But just when she thought she would finally seek release in death; the human that watched would spray her with a Super Potion so she would live long enough that the Flareon could finish his job... _

Trembling with shock, she drug herself over to the lake she had seen and submerged herself into it; the icy water taking the sting out immediately. She feebly lay her head down on the shore, and her eyes fluttered shut as she drifted into sleep.

_Because she much preferred the simplicity of her dreams to the complications reality brought. _

* * *

**A/N: Well, what do you think? Good chapter, or no? Please either PM me or Review what you thought about it; I encountered a lot of writer's block on this one...**

**Also, I have an announcement to make. The next chapter that will be posted here will be a re-do of the first chapter; because its come to my attention that the first twenty chapters or so were sorta... well, to be blunt, suckish. Then, after that one is done, a NEW chapter will be posted, then a chapter to LITM Chronicles. In other words; it may be a while before I get chapter 52 up. :/**

**Also, I want to thank everyone who reviewed; it was the most reviews I ever got for one chapter!! It made the milestone special, and coming home with 13 reviews to read made my day awesome.**

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	52. Instinct

**A/N: RECAP: Jeremy rejected Leah's invitation to travel with them, the group ventured into Mt. Moon, and we saw the horrid side-effects of getting raped by a fire-type. Joy~**

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Two: 

Instinct

"Didn't we already pass that rock?" asked Julie concernedly.

"There are millions of rocks in this Mew-forsaken cave, dip-shit," I barked, "you'll have to specify."

We had been wandering through Mt. Moon for hours; walking in circles and hiding from insane hikers whom wanted to battle in the cramped, damp tunnels.

"We should have just asked for directions from that hiker," whined Julie, "my feet are tired, and I think we should just-"

"Stop whining, Jules," said Leah exasperatedly as we rounded another corner. "We can't be that far from the exit, and there's nothing we can do but keep going."

For simplicity, everyone was in their Balls other than Tak, Claire, and myself. Claire so she could light our way. Tak's job was to use his psychic powers to detect other trainers, so we could avoid them. And then, there was me:

The one whom had thrown a fit, and thus was not sucked into the void of the Poke Ball.

"Is that light?" asked Claire hopefully, pointing down the tunnel with an elongated claw. Sure enough; up ahead a sliver of light cut through the perpetual dark.

"See, Julie, there was nothing to worry about," cooed Tak as he landed on her shoulder, "we'll be out of here in no time at all."

"I, for one, am sort of disappointed," I huffed, "we've been in Mt. Moon 12 hours, and haven't seen a single fuckin Clefairy. Or a Moon Stone. What was all the freakin hype about?"

"Oh, shut up, Shadow," said Claire with a laugh, "just be glad we're getting out of this hell-hole."

"The exit!" squealed Julie, taking off for the opening to the outside world.

"Julie, wait up!" hollered Leah as she took off after her.

Claire raised an eye-scale, and then snorted. "If they think I'm running anywhere, they're mentally challenged."

I chuckled, and then slowed my footsteps. I was in no hurry to escape the dark; I rather enjoyed the lack of sunlight. Claire noticed my decreasing pace, and slowed her steps to match mine.

"You okay, Shadow?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said hurriedly. She shot me a doubtful look. "I just like the darkness, that's all. It gives me more energy," I said in a reassuring voice.

She pressed the matter no further, and continued on without protest. I wanted to tell her that my nausea had come back that morning, but I didn't want to worry her.

"So Claire; you're native here, right? What's after Mt. Moon?"

The Charmeleon yawned; her crimson, muscular arms rippling as she stretched them upward. "If I remember correctly... we have to go through Route 4, and _then_ I think we're at Cerulean City."

We paused at the mouth of the cave; blinded by the light. Claire shielded her eyes, and then stepped through. I hesitated, and looked back into the dark depths of Mt. Moon.

"Shadow, are you coming?" I heard Leah yell from beyond the exit.

I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat, and then stepped out into the sickeningly bright sunshine.

* * *

"Now, Kenya! Finish with Spark!"

The Luxio dodged the embers that were thrown at her by the Growlithe, and then slammed into it with all her might; fur crackling with electricity. It yelped, and then staggered backwards before slumping to the ground.

"Return, Fang," said the trainer we had battled in a solemn voice.

He clipped the Poke Ball onto his belt, and then smiled sheepishly. "I'm... sorta running low on cash," he said, while running his fingers through his hair.

Leah seemed a little angered, but level-headed Julie stepped in before she could chew him out.

"Oh, it's fine! It was just nice experience for Kenya, _right_, Lee?"

Leah nodded stiffly in response, before reaching down to scratch the panting Luxio behind her giant ear. "Yeah. Right."

The trainer smiled awkwardly, and then began briskly walking away.

"What a jerk!" huffed Leah, as she sprayed Kenya's burns with a Burn Heal. The Pokedex in her hand bleeped; announcing that Kenya had leveled up.

Kenya bit her lip and whimpered; the medicine stinging her flesh. The thought of it made my stomach churn, and I audibly gulped down bile. I had been expecting all day for Celebi to show up and explain what the fuck was going on with my nausea, since she had promised she would. But it was 5:00 PM, and there hadn't been a single sign of the neurotic green fairy anywhere.

Leah said something I didn't hear, and then we were off and walking again. We had stopped occaisonally for battles, but other than that we were just traveling. Route 4 was long. Very long.

"Did I do okay, Uncle Shadow?" asked Kenya as she sauntered up next to me.

I did my best to smile, and said, "Of course, Kenya. You were absolutely wonderful. Good work."

She beamed at me, and then bounded over to repeat the question to Tyson. I jumped as I felt a paw on my shoulder, and I slowly turned my reeling head to face Dante.

"Are you feeling quite alright, Shadow?" he asked me in a hushed voice, "You haven't quite been your opinionated, foul-mouthed self today."

I chuckled, and then said, "My nausea is back. Which reminds me; can you get me a peppermint from Leah's bag?"

He opened his beak as if to say more, and then snapped it shut; nodding. He waddled over to Leah and fished through the front pocket of her bag. He came back and walked along beside me; the cellophane crinkling as he unwrapped it.

"Here you are," he said as he popped it into my mouth for me; seeing as I lacked proper appendages to do so myself.

"This is degrading," I mumbled.

"And don't you forget it," said Dante with a smirk, before walking over to go talk to Claire.

I let the mint dissolve on my tongue, and savored the sweet taste. It was much better than the Poke Food we had been getting fed. I heard muffled talking up ahead, and realized I had fallen behind the group. I swiveled my ears forward as I trotted over, and caught a wisp of what Leah was saying, "... should I catch it?"

Completely curious now, I ignored my ailing stomach and lurched forward, pushing past Tyson and Shelley to see who our next teammate candidate was. A grey, humanoid Pokemon had its back to us; lifting two plaintive Geodude. Three brown ridges adorned its head, and a short tail jutted out from its tailbone. The muscles beneath its flesh rippled menacingly, and I recognized it as a Machop.

"Yeah, I need a fighting type," whispered Leah, bringing me back to the present, "and I think that Machamps can learn a decent variety of moves."

She appeared thoughtful for a moment, and then looked to us, her Pokemon, as if seeking the answer in us.

"What are you waiting for, Lee?" hissed Julie, "he's gonna get away if you dawdle too long!"

"I don't know who to battle against him. Shadow and Tyson are automatically out, due to type disadvantage. Claire is the second strongest, but she doesn't move all that fast. Dante knows Confusion, which is super-effective, but he's also _really_ slow, and although Kenya's fast, she lacks the physical strength needed to overtake him...."

"You're analyzing too much, Leah," said Julie softly, eyes never leaving the Machop. "Just follow your gut instinct."

Leah chewed on her lip, and then nodded. "Claire, it's all on you."

The Charmeleon grunted in affirmation, and then stepped forward as Leah readied a Great Ball.

"Machop!" yelled Leah through cupped hands, trying to catch the attention of the humanoid Pokemon that had his back still turned to us. He didn't even look back to acknowledge her, so Leah tried again.

When this also failed to catch his attention, Claire stepped forward and roared at the top of her lungs, "Pull your head out of your ass, Muscle-Boy, and acknoweledge my freakin trainer!"

The Machop whirled around, flinging the Geodudes to the ground as he did so. I expected him to be seething, and ready to kill Claire, but he was instead smiling.

"I'm sorry, pretty little lady. I guess I didn't hear your trainer," he apologized.

"Bullshit," snapped Claire, "now get over here and battle me so we can capture you."

"As you wish," he said with a grin.

He gracefully leaped down from the ledge he had been training on, and then straightened up, eyes unwavering as he gazed at Claire.

"Has anyone ever told you," he began, "that you are a radiant beauty?"

"And has anyone ever told you," snarled Claire, "that you're kind of a creeper?"

He smiled even wider at her, and she lunged; jaws gaping. He swiftly dodged her move, and laughed. Claire roared, and then moved to slash his face. He merely snatched her arm out of mid-air, and then smirked. Claire's expression fell as she realized he would pummel her, and she froze in fear. But he simply pulled her in tight, and...

...began to waltz with her.

Believe me, dear reader; he was a marvelous dancer. It would have been a fucking Kodak moment, too; if only Claire hadn't been trying to maul his arm off the entire time.

"You are so fucking WEIRD!" she screeched in frustration, "why can't you just fight like a _normal_ Pokemon!?"

"If that's how you want it," he said, before twirling her away from him.

When she was an arm's length away, his foot slammed into her stomach. Claire was sent careening to the left, and landed on her back. She rose shakily to her feet, and then blasted him with a pillar of fire. The Machop yelped, and then burst from the flames, fist crackling with electricity.

Claire cried out as the Thunder Punch connected with her shoulder, and then retaliated with a Scratch. Blood appeared from his back, and his mouth twisted in pain. He lifted his arm as if to execute a Karate Chop, but something stopped him. A blue sphere slammed into the back of his head; and sucked him in.

Claire, panting, limped over to Leah and sighed in relief.

"You did really well, Claire," whispered Leah; though her eyes were glued intently on the blue sphere.

We watched anxiously as the Great Ball rolled from side to side, and then finally pinged; announcing that we had the newest, and final addition to our team. We simultaneously whooshed out a breath of relief, as Leah strode over and picked up the Great Ball. A Super Potion was used on Claire, healing her as best we could, before Leah released the Machop.

I got my first good look at him; and finally got an idea of just how muscular he really was. His gaze flickered from me, to Tyson, to Dante, and then lingered on Claire.

"We might as well have dinner, now that we have everyone together," suggested Leah; grabbing a canister of Pokemon Food from her bag.

The Machop eyed it as Leah poured some in everyone's bowls that Julie set out. "Is that stuff nutritious?" he asked Claire whom chose to ignore him.

"Shouldn't you be asking more important questions? Like, what our names are, and what to do now that you are captured?" asked Tyson, seemingly angered by the Machop's presence.

Machop shrugged, "Dunno, I mean I guess I'll ask if it means that much to ya. But I've been captured before, so I don't have many questions that way..."

Everyone looked somewhat surprised, and he blushed profusely. "I mean, it's not that my trainer didn't like me... she just decided against being a trainer after a little while."

Just when the following awkward silence became too much to bear, Kenya piped up, "Well, my name is Kenya! You're going to love traveling with us, it's a lot of fun!"

He smiled warmly at her, "I'm sure it will be, cute little Luxio." I bristled at this, but held my tongue.

"This is Tyson, Shelley, Tak, Dante, Shadow, and Claire," said Kenya, pointing with her tail to each of us, respectively.

He nodded and gave us a little wave, but it went virtually unnoticed. We finished our food in silence; the only ones conversing were Tak and Shelley. I ate half of the tasteless food, and then lay down; stomach churning. As the sun began to set in the clear autumn sky, I lay down with my head between my paws, and listened to the deafening silence.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

**A/N: Meh, sorry it took so long to get this one posted. :/ Just to let you know, the first chapter has been re-written, so it might be worth checking out. (: Next thing posted will be the next chapter of LITM Chronicles. (You guys voted in Claire as the next subject) Then, Chapter 2 will be rewritten, and THEN a new chapter here. So yeah... it may be a while. I apologize. ):**

**New poll is up; with name ideas for the new Machop. They're all warrior themed, so please vote on it!**

**... I think that's it. Sorry the author's note was so long today.**

**HAPPY (ALMOST) THANKSGIVING!!**

**~Shelby**


	53. Speak Up

**A/N: RECAP~ Got out of Mt. Moon, and caught a Machop. **

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Three:

Speak Up

_"You have done well, Jabari." _

The Medicham merely blinked at the giant stag, and then looked at his army as well. Fighters of every sort were assembled. Three Honchkrow, a Hitmonchan, two Hitmonlee, a Blaziken, four Floatzel, a Sableye, two Magneton, one Aggron, two Claydol, a Shiftry, and a Magmar stood ready; eager to obey their master.

Jabari lowered his head in sadness. It was going to be a day of despair.

_How can a creature so intact with nature knowingly disrupt the balance?_ _I am a traitor to my kind, _he thought bitterly to himself, fists clenched.

Arceus took no notice to the ailing spirit of the Medicham, and bellowed to the oblivious army, _"Noble warriors. You have come here today, ready to obey your god. I, Arceus, would like to display my humble gratitude. Therefore; I thank you, warriors of Jabari. Your mission is of great importance to me. Jabari? Would you care to explain their mission?" _

The Medicham visibly flinched, but knew he had no choice in the matter. So, he stepped forward and began his speech.

"My beloved brethren, today we will aide Arceus in a private mission. We will be fighting a trainer and her Pokemon, not to kill, but simply to get them out of the way. The despair will lead Celebi to us..." he trailed off, regretting what came next, "and when she appears, Arceus will deal with her, and we will withdraw."

An anonymous, tentative voice piped up from the crowd, "Dealt with?"

_"I'll rip the little bitch to shreds," _boomed the false god; eyes glittering with hate.

The army was shocked into silence, and Jabari sucked in his breath.

"You sick fuck, we'll _never _serve you!" yelled a gravelly voice, coming from the Shiftry, "Celebi is the essence of nature. I'll die before aiding you in slaughtering her, you pompous, self-absorbed bastard!"

Arceus's face contorted with rage, and he fired a single Hyper Beam at the bold Pokemon.

"Arceus, don't!" cried Jabari, as his warrior, and friend, fell to the ground.

_"__He had it coming to him,"_snarled Arceus, _"no one insults me and lives." _

Jabari ignored him, and sprinted to the side of his dying friend.

"You are cowardly, Jabari," growled the Shiftry, "if you are half the leader they view you to be, you will avenge my death; and die protecting the Guardian of the Forest." Blood poured from the hole in his side, and his voice become more raspy, "Remember your loyalty to nature, Jabari."

Stephen weakly gestured to the army behind them, "You must decide what is worth dying for. If not for us, nor for nature... then what in the bloody hell do you have to live for?"

The Medicham remained rigid through the noble speech, and as he watched the eyes of the martyr dim, and eventually glaze over.

Crestfallen, Jabari closed the eyelids of the courageous Shiftry, and then shakily rose to face his army, whom stared at him expectantly. He turned to say something brave to Arceus, but then... he blanched.

"C-Continue, Master," he stammered as mournful wails could be heard behind him, from his army. Arceus nodded, grinning wickedly. The army, their distressed leader, and the behemoth stag, were all surrounded by a purple aura, as Arceus transported them to Kanto.

_"It is time..."_

* * *

"Starmie, Water Pulse!"

"Dodge, Oliver! Then use Sleep Powder!"

The purple star-shaped Pokemon blasted three powerful rings of water at the Butterfree; who barely managed to escape. The green spores scattered, but a Protect negated their effect.

"Rapid Spin, Starmie. Let's finish this!"

The rapidly spinning Pokemon slammed into the delicate Butterfree, who fell from the sky and into the water. As the crushed young girl recalled her defeated Butterfree, the referee waved his flag and spoke into a microphone, "The Butterfree is unable to battle. The winner of this match is Gym Leader Misty!"

The crowd surrounding us erupted in cheering, and it was then that I finally looked up to see Leah's reaction. Her eyes were glued to the Gym arena, and the notepad she had carried in was full of scribbled notes.

Julie sucked in a breath, and then let out a low whistle, "Dang, she's good."

Leah nodded, and then absentmindedly began rubbing me behind the ears, "Yeah, I know. I'm glad we came to watch. At least I know what to expect, now."

The grandstands surrounding us emptied, and we eventually rose and began our walk back to the hotel. We had arrived in Cerulean City an hour beforehand.

Whereas Pewter City had been dull and grey, Cerulean was a bit less monotone. Granted, every building other than the Pokemon Center was a shade of blue; but at least there was _some_ sort of variety.

"We're _so_ not ready to battle her," said Leah nervously as she unlocked our room in the Pokemon Center.

"Take it easy, Lee," said Julie in a soothing voice as she walked in behind her, "you'll be fine. Shadow _and _Kenya know super-effective moves on her Pokemon. You haven't even checked the Machop's moves yet-"

"Keon," said Leah as she pointed the Pokedex at him, "I named him Keon."

Julie smiled, "Keon. I like that name."

"And a very fitting name, at that," murmured Dante.

Keon, having already discovered that Dante knew everything, looked at him curiously. "And what _exactly_ does it mean, dare I ask?"

The chubby little Psyduck chuckled, "It means 'young warrior'."

The Machop nodded; seemingly pleased. Leah's Pokedex bleeped, and then listed off some impressive information.

_Machop, the Superpower Pokemon. _

_Ability: Guts. _

_Level: 26. _

_Attacks: Low Kick, Leer, Focus Energy, Karate Chop, Foresight, Seismic Toss, Revenge, Vital Throw, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch._

"Not bad," said Claire guardedly, as she eyed him.

"Are you kidding me? Those moves are _so_ bad-ass!" yelled Tyson from behind us.

"See? What did I tell you? That's _another_ super-effective move," said Julie as she sat on the bed next to Leah.

Leah bit her lip in uncertainty, and Julie squeezed her in a hug. "You'll do fine. Have confidence in them, Leah. You know, they think the world of you."

Keon patted Leah's hand reassuringly, and Kenya hopped up into her lap.

"It's not _their_ abilities I doubt..." She trailed off and began giving Kenya a belly rub.

Julie frowned, and then suggested, "Why don't you take a hot shower, Leah? The warm water might help calm those nerves."

"Plus that, you two haven't bathed since Pewter City, and the deodorant's _just_ not cutting it, anymore," I snorted.

"Maybe you're right, Julie. Would you-"

Julie held up a hand, "I'll feed them and take care of everything."

Leah hugged her, and then grabbed her things and disappeared into the tiny bathroom.

Julie got up and looked at us, "Uh... you guys stay here. I need to go get some Pokemon food from the lobby."

As soon as she disappeared behind the door, it got quiet.

"It got quiet in here," said Kenya matter-of-factly.

"Well how might you suggest we remedy that situation?" asked Dante as he opened another mint for me.

Claire raised an eye-scale as he tossed it into my mouth, and then smirked, "Okay, Dante. I'm pretty sure no one here has a fucking clue what you just said."

Dante opened his beak to explain, but was cut off by Kenya's blaring voice.

"I have an idea," she squealed delightedly, "we could play a game! Anyone have any ideas?"

Silence.

"How about we play 'truth'?"

Everyone turned to look up at the Natu perched on the bed rail; shocked the normally silent bird had spoken.

He shifted his feet nervously, and then shrugged his tiny wings. "We don't _have _to, I mean, if no one-"

"That sounds _wonderful, _Tak!" chirped Kenya in her sickeningly sweet voice, "how do you play?"

"Well, basically, one Pokemon asks a question, and then we all take turns answering that question as truthfully as possible. The question can be about anything-"

"Why would we want to play a stupid game like that?" muttered Tyson.

Tak ducked his head bashfully, and murmured something inaudibly.

"Speak up, they can't hear you!" hissed Shelley tersely.

The shy Natu hesitated, and then spoke in a hushed tone, "Well, as you can see, I'm a very observant Pokemon. We're all at least _somewhat_ friends, but only because we've been forced into the same situation."

He turned and motioned at me with a wing, and his voice became stronger as he went on. "Shadow, you are pretty close to Claire, aren't you?"

I nodded, "Yeah, she's my best friend."

I noticed Claire's cheeks turn an even deeper scarlet, and then I saw Keon glaring at me with what I could only assume was jealousy.

Tak nodded, as if he had been anticipating that answer, and then cleared his throat and spoke again; but this time, in a much more confident tone.

"That's nice. But tell me, Shadow. How much do you know about Claire's past?"

I opened my mouth to answer, and then paused. What _did_ I know about her? I claimed her to be my best friend, and yet I didn't even know how old she was! The thought of knowing so little about her embarrassed me. I felt my muzzle tinge a light pink, and I finally answered, "Well, actually... nothing."

Everyone except Tak and Claire seemed somewhat surprised by my blunt answer.

Tak, using this revelation to further his cause, spoke like a true politician. "I rest my case. The reason I suggested we play an ongoing game of truth, is because we hardly know anything about each other. I mean, we're stuck with each other until the Pokemon League. Not only will it pass the time, but I think getting to know each other better will make us grow closer."

We all nodded in approval, but it was Dante who clapped. "That was brilliant, Tak. You have me utterly convinced."

"There's just one problem," said Tyson from where he stood, next to Kenya, "how in the hell do you win this game?"

"Must he spell it out for you, Tyson?" said Keon in an exasperated voice, "everyone will benefit from growing closer. Isn't that part of the Pokemon Journey? To share a deep bond between your fellow teammates, and to have brotherly love for each other?"

For the second time that day, silence. That is, until we heard the door beep, and Julie re-entered the room.

"I'm back, guys! Man, that was a long line. But, I got you all a packet of food."

The moment ruined, we dispersed and ambled over to her. She poured us each a bowl-full, although Tyson and Shelley shared one. I barely touched the flavor-less pellets; my stomach still churning with nausea. I looked to my left to see Keon disdainfully chewing the stale, revolting food, and couldn't help but laugh.

"I thought you had a trainer before, Keon! Haven't you had Pokemon pellets before?"

He grudgingly swallowed the mush, and grimaced at me, "Yes. But I suppose I had forgotten just how repulsive they were."

"I don't think I could ever forget the taste of _this_ shit," groaned Tyson.

I glanced down at his food bowl, which was licked clean. He belched, and I recoiled. "Didn't you just say they tasted like shit?" I asked slowly.

The Cranidos nodded, and then looked at my bowl tentatively, "You gonna finish that?"

I growled and pushed the bowl his way with my paw, before returning to my spot on the bed. Eventually, everyone settled in around me. Julie was in the shower, and Leah had gone off; promising to be back with a surprise for each of us.

"So. Are we going to do this, or not?" asked Claire as we all got settled in.

I was laying on the bed, and Kenya had insisted on laying right next to me. Shelley was on my other side, with Tak perched on her shell. Claire occupied the threadbare arm chair, while Dante, Keon, and Tyson occupied the floor.

"I think it's a splendid idea," said Dante.

We all looked over to Tyson; expecting him to object. "What?" he demanded, shrugging.

"I have an idea for the first question," piped up Tak from Shelley's back. "If you could spend a day with any one person, dead or alive, who would it be? Shelley, you can go first."

"You," she said flatly.

"Awh, that's so sweet," gushed Kenya.

"Don't read too much into it, cupcake," growled Shelley sarcastically.

"I'd want to see my mother," said Tyson.

"I'd want to spend the day with my trainer," said Keon wistfully, "and get another chance to prove myself to her."

"Einstein," said Dante with a sheepish grin.

"I'd want to see my mommy, too," said Kenya in a soft, saddened voice. Claire was thoughtfully silent, before muttering, "I'm happy where I'm at. But... if I had to pick someone to spend a day with, it would probably be Professor Oak."

Everyone shot her a weird look, and she shrugged. "He took care of me, and he was funny in a senile, sarcastic sort of way."

And all at once, it was my turn.

"Her," I said wisfully, eyes downcast.

Of course, that one word said enough to everyone listening, except our newest addition. I numbly lay there as Claire explained everything to Keon, and then moaned as another, more intense wave of nausea wased over me. As everyone took turns answering Kenya's question, 'what is your favorite color', I bitterly remembered Celebi had once told me she knew why I felt sick.

And because I was too busy thinking and pondering all this, I neglected to hear the faint bellow of rage that resounded through autumn air.

* * *

The white, stag-like being stomped his mighty foot; causing the ground around them to tremble with his might. The army, whom stood solemnly behind him, turned to their uneasy leader for an explanation.

"Our targets have moved into the city," explained Jabari in a loud voice; trying desperately to be heard over Arceus's temper-tantrum, "and we can't attack whilst they are surrounded by too many humans."

"So, are we going back?" asked a gruff-sounding Hitmonlee hopefully.

The Medicham cringed as Arceus boomed, _"You all will stay right here, and alert me when they leave! Until then, I will be back in Sinnoh."_

Arceus glared at Jabari, as if daring him to disobey, before roaring and teleporting back to the Hall of Origin. The army erupted with questions, but Jabari refused to speak until they quieted down.

"Karana," he said, "tonight, go to the targets. Alert them of what is coming."

The Honchkrow he had addressed hesitated, "Jabari... what are you thinking?"

His expression darkened, and he remembered the Shiftry he had left behind. "We're going to do what we can, to make sure Stephen did not die in vain."

* * *

**A/N: I really do apologize for how late this update is. Not to make excuses... but I want to explain myself:**

**A few nights ago, I was cooking a frozen pizza. Basically... I shut my fingers in the oven door. Broke the middle finger, and burned the others slightly. As you can imagine... this not only makes writing difficult, but painful as well. (-.-) Really... its kind of funny. I mean, who breaks their finger _cooking?_**

**That aside, let me move on to the rating. Long story short... my temper got away with me, I cussed someone out, and they threatened to report LITM for an improper rating. (End of story, no discussion) So, that's why I bumped it up to M. It's still going to be the same old stuff, though; no explicit sexual content, just the usual cussing and such. Hopefully this won't deter any of you from continuing to read...**

**The Chapter 2 re-write is complete, you might check it out. (: If not, that's fine too. Hopefully, the next update won't be so late. My apologies!!**

**Until then,**

**~Shelby**


	54. Forewarning

**A/N: ReCAP~ Made it to Cerulean City, Arceus's plans were put on hold. **

**Sorry this took so long to get to you. I was about ready to upload it Friday, but my laptop malfunctioned and erased the entire thing. Plus; this darn finger splint is a writer's curse! But enough of my personal problems. Here you are~**

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Four:

Forewarning

_Tap, tap, tap._

I jolted awake; alert and growling.

_Tap, tap._

I rose to my paws and glanced at the window, where the sound was coming from. My red and yellow eyes rested on the window, where a shadowy figure moved from my view.

Moonlight streamed into the hotel room; bathing the faces of my friends in pale, silvery light. I quickly checked to make sure I was the only one awake, before stepping over Kenya and Tyson to get to the door. I hastily took the doorknob in my jaws, and tried to turn it; wrenching my neck and grinding my teeth. When I felt a tap on my shoulder, it took every fiber of my being to keep from yelping in surprise.

"It's just me, Shadow," said Keon in a hushed, reassuring voice, "Are you trying to run away?"

"Go back to sleep, Keon," I snarled, "and don't concern yourself with my affairs."

I latched onto the knob again, and tried once again to open the wretched door.

"Running from your problems doesn't solve anything, Shadow," said Keon in a soft voice.

I turned to glare at him, but my expression softened slightly when I saw the hollow, haunted eyes that looked up at me hopefully.

"I'm not trying to run away," I growled from around the doorknob as I tugged on it once again. He shot me a questioning look, so I elaborated. "Something was outside the window, and I need to make sure it doesn't hurt anyone."

I felt light pressure on my back, and then heard a _click _from overhead. I tilted my head up to see Keon had unlocked the door, and then he turned the doorknob; grimacing when his hand connected with the slobbery metal sphere.

"There," he said triumphantly, as he jumped down and I cracked the door.

"Thanks," I said gruffly, before slipping through the door.

"Wait!" he whispered, and I turned. The pale moonlight illuminated his face, and Claire's tail flame caused flickering shadows to dance across his face.

"What do you want?" I growled; anxious to find whatever had beckoned me through the window.

"Well, don't you think we should wake the others?"

"There is no _we_," I growled in a low tone, "I'm not dragging anyone else into this. Leah's protection is my duty, and mine alone. I'm not going to put the rest of you in danger-"

"We're Leah's Pokemon, too, Shadow," he snapped in a hushed tone, "just because you and her sister-"

"I made a vow to protect her!" I interrupted.

He shot me a venomous look, and then continued, "Just because you vowed to protect her, _doesn't_ mean you are the only one allowed to care for her."

I snarled and tried to get away, but I felt his hand clamp down on my tail. I turned, eyes gleaming, and felt electricity crackle around my glistening fangs.

"Let go. Or so help me, I will-"

"Or you'll what?" smirked the Machop, as he joined me in the hall and shut the door gently behind him, "Bite me? You must be kidding." He lifted his fist, and it began to glow, "I could Karate Chop your stubborn ass into next week, if I felt the need."

My fangs ceased to glow, and a low growl emanated from the depths of my throat.

"Now, hear me out. Despite what you think, you can't always do everything alone. I'm coming with you to help; whether you like it or not."

He let go, and I said nothing as I padded down the hall. We snuck past the rooms, the Chansey that was snoring in the lobby, and made it to the doors. As he opened the door, I asked, "What in the bloody hell gave you the idea I was running away?"

The Machop landed lightly on his feet, and turned the knob. "You seemed pretty depressed earlier, during the Truth Game," he replied as he pushed the door open, "I thought it might have something to do with that."

The cool night air rushed over us, and I noticed for the first time that my stomachache had lessened its intensity.

"Besides, it must be hard to train under the sister of your deceased best friend. Talk about a daily reminder." He put his hand on my shoulder. "But, it makes us all respect you all the more. Especially Claire," he added through gritted teeth.

I nodded; dismissing it as I looked around for any sign of the shadow figure. Keon was about to ask another question, when we heard an eerie cawing sound. My fangs once again began crackling with electrical energy, and Keon's fist mimicked my actions.

"It's coming from the tree," he said quickly.

I nodded, and we cautiously made our way over to the weathered old oak tree at the end of the Pokemon Center yard. I searched the tree desperately, before turning to Keon. His eyes were glowing a sickly yellow color.

"It's right there," he said in a monotone voice; his finger lifting to point at a navy blue lump.

"What was-"

"I used Foresight," he murmured, before his fist began glowing again. "Come out, coward! If you wish to do our master harm, you'll have to defeat us, first!"

The lump stirred; feathers rustling.

"A coward, am I? Ha! Just coming to you puts my life in dreadful danger! I am many things, Machop. But _coward_ is not among the list," hissed the Honchkrow as she emerged from the shadows. "And what of you two? Many minutes have passed since I summoned you. Have you been mustering up your courage to face me?"

Keon gulped, and took a step back.

"Precisely. My name is Karana, and I was sent by my master to warn you."

"Warn us of what?" I barked in return, a prickling feeling shooting up my spine.

Without warning, Keon slumped to the ground beside me, and I yelped as I noticed her eyes glowing purple.

"What the fuck did you do to him!?" I barked angrily; wishing I had a range attack so I could blast her plump, feathered ass from the safety of the branches.

She laughed; the raucous caw making my fur stand on end. "Your friend will be fine," she said, "but he is not the one I am to address. He cannot hear what I am about to tell you."

"And what is that, exactly?" I growled as I checked Keon's pulse.

"It's about Celebi," Karana began. "If she comes to you outside of Cerulean City, she will be in grave danger. You mustn't leave the city until you have warned her."

"... It's Arceus, isn't it?" I asked after a long pause.

The Honchkrow solemnly nodded, and then began preening her sleek navy feathers.

"How do you know all this?"

She shot me an indescernable look, and then shook herself. "I really must be going. Remember what I told you, Mightyena." She rose into the night sky, and then nodded at the unconscious Machop at my side. "He should be fine in a few hours. I used Psychic to knock him out, lest he find out about you and Celebi's relationship."

Then, before I could even offer my thanks to her, she ascended, and began soaring in the direction of Mt. Moon. Trembling all over, I nosed my way under Keon's body, and then rose to my feet; his limp figure draped over my shoulders.

"I told you you should have stayed with the others," I mumbled, as I made my way back to the door.

Luckily, we had left it ajar, and I nosed my way inside. Once we were back inside the room, I shrugged Keon off my shoulders and back onto the bed, next to Leah. Then, still trembling, I curled up into a ball; and hoped with all my might Celebi would show up soon.

* * *

"... And then, we found the bird! It talked about something, and then, the next thing I knew... BAM! I can't remember anything after that! Crazy dream, huh?"

"Uh... yeah. That's _some_ dream you had, Keon," I laughed nervously.

"Weird," he murmured, "it all seemed so real..."

"Okay, everyone, may I have your attention, please?"

It was the following morning, breakfast time, to be exact. Everyone looked up from their food bowls, and gazed intently at Leah.

"It has come to my attention that we are not going to do so hot if we battle Misty the way we are now. When we went and observed Misty's battle techniques the other day, I realized why the challenging trainer lost. Her Pokemon lacked range attacks. Misty's Pokemon naturally stay in the water; unreachable by Pokemon who can't swim."

She paused, and we all nodded for her to continue. "So, today, instead of battling Misty, I have something else in mind. Today will be devoted to shopping for TMs, and then practicing mastering them. What do you guys think?"

I barked happily at the prospect, and everyone else agreed.

~o0o~

Fifteen minutes later found us in the Pokemon Mart of Cerulean City.

"Excuse me, but I'd like to buy a few TMs," said Leah shyly to the man behind a massive counter.

He glanced up at her, and then nodded. "For what Pokemon, miss?" he asked in a nasally voice.

I took a step back so I could see him over the counter. He had short, curly red hair, bright green eyes behind black-framed glasses, and millions of freckles dotting his face and arms.

Leah dug through her bag, and came up with three PokeBalls, before answering, "I need range attacks, for a Mightyena, a Luxio, a Cranidos, and a Psyduck."

He nodded, and then dissapeared beneath the counter. When he finally came up for air, he had a bundle of TMs in his arms.

"Do you need any help, sir?" asked Julie from behind us.

"The name's Garrett Collins," he mumbled as he clumsily set them on the table. "Let's start with your Luxio..."

I became uninterested, and laid down at Leah's feet. I must have dozed off, because the next thing I knew, Leah was nudging me awake with the toe of her shoe.

"C'mon, Shadow," she cooed, "we're done now. It's time to go practice."

I tried to stand up, but I suddenly felt drained of energy; my legs wobbly beneath me. I collided with Julie's legs, and nearly knocked her over.

"That's completely normal," said Garrett from behind me, "his body is just adjusting to the TM absorption. He should be fine in a few minutes."

Leah thanked him again, and then helped steady me as we walked from the building.

"Where are we _going,_ Leah?" asked Julie was we headed in the opposite direction of the Pokemon Center.

"There's a training room in Misty's Gym," she explained, "That way, Shadow, Kenya, and Dante can practice on a dummy and perfect their moves before the Gym Battle tomorrow."

The room was nearly deserted; with rubber, human-shaped dummies lining the walls. Leah let everyone else out of their PokeBalls.

"Keon, I didn't buy you a TM," she said in an apologetic voice, "I was running low on cash. But you should be fine. You can swim, right?"

"I can learn," he said passively with a shrug.

"You can just practice Thunder Punch, okay?" Keon nodded, and Leah turned to the others. "Kenya, Keon, and Tyson can practice with Julie. Dante, Shadow, and Claire; you guys are working with me. That way we can get done quicker, okay, guys?"

Everyone voiced their agreements, and Leah began distributing TMs.

"Uncle Shadow, I learned Charge Beam!" chirped Kenya ecstatically from where she was watching Tyson perform his new Rock Slide techinique.

"Fantastic," I said sarcastically, before watching Dante use Ice Beam.

The dummy froze solid, and then Leah nodded to Claire, "Use Dragon Claw!"

The Charmeleon's claws glowed electric-blue, before she slashed the iced-dummy and grinned maliciously.

"This move is badass!" she said with a laugh.

Leah was grinning ear-to-ear, and then looked at me. "That's the TM we tried on you, Shadow. It's not a range attack, but Claire certainly seems to like it."

I barked happily in reply, and she laughed. "Do you want to try to use Dark Pulse now, Shadow? I don't think you're ready for Hyper Beam..."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. No wonder I was more tired than the others; Leah had taught me _two_ new moves. I stepped forward, and focused on the target. Leah ordered a Dark Pulse, and I felt a cold energy come forth. I instinctively opened my maw, and a beam of dark energy burst free. It blasted the dummy, shattering the ice, and sending me stumbling backwards.

"That... was awesome!" squealed Julie from where she stood next to us.

I grinned darkly, and wobbled back to Leah. The rest of the team followed suit, until we were all gathered around her. She knelt, and patted my head.

"Guys... I think we're ready to take on Misty."

* * *

**A/N: Hope you liked the chapter. Again, sorry it took so long. **

**So; it's a Sunday night... some of you are probably looking for a good read, correct? I have a recommendation. Legends of Existence, a reborn fic by Finalsmasher13. It's really good, and its also highly original; a quality most reborn fics seriously lack. I won't give anything away, but if you enjoy LITM, you'll definitely enjoy LoE. So... review here, and then scurry along to R&R that. **

**Thanks in advance (:**

**~Shelby**


	55. Vs Misty

**A/N: ****RECAP- Meh, it was sort of a filler chapter. Shadow was warned to stay inside Cerulean by a Honchkrow, and almost everyone learned a new move by TM; in a nutshell.**

**Also... I just realized LITM has gotten over 200 reviews! An awesome Christmas present, I must say. Here's a nice and long BATTLE chapter, gift-wrapped and especially for you, as my way of saying thanks. ^^**

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Five: 

Vs. Misty

"This is it! The big day! We get to have a _Gym_ Battle!"

I glanced at Keon, who was bouncing up and down like a little kid.

"I'm just so excited," he added blissfully.

"Thanks for the clarification," snorted Claire, "we thought you were depressed."

"Are you guys ready to go?" asked Leah slowly.

"They're _definitely _ready, Leah," Julie pointed out, "Question is, how are _you_ holding up?"

Leah recalled everyone to their PokeBalls, except me, and then sighed, "I'm still indescribably nervous. But I... I think we can do it. They're ready."

* * *

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh _shit_!" wheezed Leah as she walked onto the platform, and stared at the empty one in front of her.

Water began rushing into the giant tank; drowning out the roar of the crowd as they shuffled into the stadium. Sure, Pewter City Gym had been fairly large, but it paled in comparison to Misty's Gym.

When the water was lapping the bottom of the platform Leah and I shared, the lights in the Gym went out, and a single spotlight shone on Misty as she entered. Her short auburn hair gleamed in the light; her body toned from swimming so often.

She smiled quickly at Leah, and then nodded. The lights came back on, and the crowd cheered enthusiastically. A smaller platform appeared in the middle of the Gym; which I was assuming was where the non-swimmers were expected to battle from.

Leah gulped, and then turned on the clip-on microphone they had given her, so that we could hear her attacks over the roar of the crowd, and the water. Misty mimicked her actions, and then un-clipped a PokeBall from her belt.

_"Welcome, people of Cerualean! Today's challenger is Leah Walsch, of Twinleaf Town!"_ blared the announcer.

"Challenger chooses first, no exceptions!" Misty yelled over the noise.

"Keon, get out there!" said Leah; voice booming into the microphone.

The tiny, blue-grey humanoid materialized, and then flexed for the crowd, who cheered wildly in response.

"Staryu, you're up," Misty said calmly.

The star-shape Pokemon slid easily into the water; its red jewel glowing brightly with energy.

"Keon, Thunder Punch!" yelled Leah predictably.

He plunged into the water, and began swimming towards the Staryu with surprising ease.

"Swift."

The Staryu disappeared beneath the surface, and then resurfaced behind Keon; firing star-shaped pulses of energy. The Machop faltered, and slipped beneath the surface, before coming up spluttering and coughing.

"Try again, Keon," said Leah hopefully, though she seemed as if her confidence had sunk into the depths of the waters.

The hardy little Machop swam after the Staryu, and tried to grasp it. But with remarkable speed and grace, it would slip away, and pelt with with either a Water Pulse attack or Swift, before disappearing. Leah gripped the rail of the platform so hard, her knuckles were white.

"This isn't good," she murmured to me, "Keon's just wearing himself out."

At that moment, another Swift attack pelted Keon from behind, and he shrieked in pain. He sank beneath the water, and didn't resurface.

_"And it looks as if Leah's Machop is out for the count!"_ yelled the announcer excitedly.

"He'll drown!" screamed Leah, "Somebody help him! _Please_!"

Misty nodded at her Staryu, who slipped beneath the surface. It came up a moment later, with a limp Machop draped over its star points. It swam slowly over to the referee, so he could officially declare him unfit to battle.

At the moment, I thought that was stupid; but that stupidity turned out to be quite beneficial.

When Staryu was halfway there, Keon's eye cracked open. I glanced anxiously up at Leah, but she hadn't even noticed. Knowing we were going to lose our opportunity otherwise, I decided to take matters into my own paws.

"Keon! Do it now!" I howled.

His eyes opened a little further, and his fist slammed into the Staryu's life jewel; crackling with electrical energy. It emitted a hissing sound, before flinging Keon off. The Machop managed to stay afloat this time, and exhaustedly swam to the platform. He pulled himself on top of it, and then staggered back a few steps.

"See if we help _you_ next time," said Misty jokingly.

Leah's face flushed as she spoke, "Keon, that's enough; you fought well. Return."

The worn-out Machop disapeared in a flash of red light, and suddenly, Leah said, "Shadow, you're up!"

My eyes widened. Funny; I hadn't even thought about _me_ having to battle.

"I've never even swam in this new body!" I protested, before Leah attempted to hoist me over the edge.

"C'mon, Shadow. In you go."

I yelped as my tail dipped in the water, "I said _no_, damnit! I'm going to sink! Don't let me out there with that freakish star-demon!"

"Shadow, don't make this difficult!"

She shoved once more, and I plunged into the cold water. I immediately began shivering, as I swam (with some difficulty) to the platform. My claws dug into it as I desperately scrambled on top of it; eager to get away from the Staryu.

"Staryu, Swift!"

"Dark Pulse, Shadow; counter it!"

The torrent of dark energy obliterated the stars, and struck the Staryu on its top point.

"Water Pulse, Staryu!"

The three rings of Water blasted me, and my hind paw slipped off the platform. I managed to stay on board, however, and fired another Dark Pulse. The beam veered to the left, and barely missed the Staryu.

"Rapid Spin, Staryu!"

"Oh... _fuck_!" I howled as the Staryu levitated, and then began twirling toward me at a breakneck pace.

"Shadow, look out!"

I jumped straight up into the air, and felt a breeze as the Staryu narrowly missed severing my paws. I flipped around and fired another Dark Pulse at the still spinning Pokemon. The blast sent the Staryu skittering into the wall near my platform, where it collided with a sickening thud.

"Pounce on it, Shadow!" squealed Leah.

I hesitated, took two steps back, and then bolted forward before leaping onto the back of the Staryu. I snarled, bared my fangs, and then latched onto it; electricity flowing from my fangs. An odd sizzling sound escaped it, and it shot out from underneath me.

It gradually slowed, and I noticed that its jewel had a much fainter glow. When it slowly began to recede into the depths of the pool, Misty recalled it solemnly.

"Not bad," she commented to Leah, as she enlarged another PokeBall, "but you might want to tell your Mightyena to get back up on the platform. He'll need all the help he can get against this next one."

I happily obliged, and shook myself once I was atop the platform. My thick, raven-black fur poofed out; receiving snickers and laughter from the audience.

"Starmie, finish this up!"

I inwardly groaned as the ten-pointed sea star materialised.

"Quick, Shadow!"

Guessing she wanted me to use Dark Pulse, I shot the column of dark energy, and it hit the Starmie dead-on. Being super-effective, it left the Starmie with only a wavering glow in its ruby core. Much to my delight, of course. The moment was short-lived, however, as Misty declared her next move.

"Recover."

The Starmie glowed a bright green, and I had to squint to avoid being blinded. When the light subsided, you couldn't tell I had even attacked the damn thing.

"Starmie, finish this with Rapid Spin."

"Shadow, do something! Look _out_!"

The Starmie rose into the air, and then began spinning with rapid speed. I gulped, and desperately tried to come up with a way to block, or better yet; avoid the attack.

"Now!" commanded Misty, and the Starmie lurched forward and barreled toward me.

In desperation, I began drawing energy for the greatest gamble in my history as a Pokemon.

"Don't just stand there, Shadow! Get out of the way!" screamed Leah.

Confident in my abilities to wield a Hyper Beam, I instead thrust my neck out and opened my mouth. The energy surged forth, and then fizzled out before becoming anything.

Horrified, I watched the Starmie come at me in slow motion. I tried to leap out of the way, but howled in pain as I felt the pointed edges of the Starmie collide with my side.

I remember hearing a dull _crack_, before everything faded to black.

* * *

Julie nearly vomited when she heard the popping sound that inevitably meant a broken bone; if not several. She watched in horror as her best friend's Mightyena went completely limp, and sank beneath the surface of the water. On command, the Starmie dove in after him, and brought him to the platform were Leah was sobbing hysterically.

Julie squinted her eyes shut, and chanted, "Please be okay, _please_ be okay."

The wolfish creature hacked up some water, and then lay still again.

"Good 'ol Misty, I think the mangy mutt has at the very least a few broken ribs," said a man from behind her.

Julie, infuriated, whirled and glared at them. "That's my friend's Pokemon! How can you say such nasty things!?"

The man, who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, snorted his laughter, "Oh, c'mon, Miss. Don't tell me you pity the _Mightyena_. Horrible bastards deserve to die, that they do."

Her face flushed in anger, and she turned back to see what was happening on the field. Leah dug through her bag for a Revive, and then knelt next to her injured Pokemon. She put the medicine in Shadow's mouth, and gingerly gripped his jaws and made him chew. His eyes fluttered open, and he managed to weakly lift his head.

_"It looks like Leah's Pokemon is going to be okay, folks. Let's continue with this heated battle!"_

Julie whooshed out a sigh of relief, and marveled at how fragile life really was.

* * *

I groggily lifted my head, and instantly regretted it. Horrific pain flooded through my body, and took my breath away. The bitter taste on my tongue let me know Leah had used a Revive, and I instantly hated her for it. Revives prevent you from losing consciousness; and with the excruciating pain I was enduring, passing out was a welcome option.

She kissed my nose, and promised, "Don't worry, Shadow. I'm just going to finish the battle real quick, and then we'll rush you to the Pokemon Center, okay?"

Before I could snarl and let her know what I thought on the matter, she had already turned and tossed another PokeBall into the air. I saw a flash of yellow, and immediately knew she had summoned Dante.

"Starmie, Water Gun!"

"Dante, match that!"

The two columns of water met, and then stayed suspended in air; the equal amount of force hindering them from doing much.

I whimpered, and Leah sidestepped, "I know, buddy. I'm trying to hurry, I really am."

Actually, I had just wanted her to move so I could watch. Anything to take my mind off the throbbing, sharp pains searing through my side. But the apology was a nice touch...

"Try Swift, Starmie!"

"Dante, deflect them with Confusion!"

The star-shaped rays flew crazily at Dante, whose eyes glowed a light blue. The mass of stars was sent careening to the left, where they fizzled out and ceased to exist.

"Range attacks aren't working," Misty murmured into her microphone, "Starmie, Rapid Spin!"

The purple sea-star hovered in mid-air, and began spinning at a dangerous speed.

"Dante, Ice Beam, now!"

He opened his beak, and the beautiful, shimmering blue beam blasted the Starmie. Ice coated one side of it, but hindered it no further as it shot forward at our Psyduck.

"Confusion, go!"

His eyes glowed blue once again, and then his hands; as he manipulated the Starmie and sent it inches over him. It collided with the wall, and then plopped into the water; too stunned to move.

"Hurry up, Starmie! Recover!"

It glowed bright green, and Leah screamed in frustration, "There's no killing it! Dante, try Water Gun!"

The torrent of water blasted the still glowing Starmie, but seemed to have no effect.

"Now, switch to Ice Beam!"

The Starmie was coated in another layer of ice; though it was thicker and managed to slow it down a little.

"Rapid Spin!"

Moving with a much slower pace, the Starmie rose halfway out of the water and spun at a reduced speed. Dante blasted it with another Ice Beam, but it still managed to slam into him. The Psyduck landed with a _plop_ in the water, and then quacked in anger. It took every fiber of my being to keep from laughing. A fat, squawking duck is quite entertaining, after all.

"You're going to pay for that, you insolent starfish!"

He swam with surprising grace back to the platform, where he waddled to the center; only to be blasted from behind with a Water Pulse attack.

"Bastard. I'll freeze your ruby off for that one."

He fired another Ice Beam, that coated the Starmie yet again. It ceased to move, and just began shaking uncontrollably. Somehow, however, it managed to stay afloat.

"Dante, good work! Kenya can handle the rest, now."

Whilst Misty yelled frantically for her Starmie to break free of the ice, Leah recalled Dante and then enlarged yet another PokeBall.

"Kenya, use Charge!"

The Luxio materialised, raised an eyebrow at the water surrounding her and the frozen Starmie, and then her fur began glowing with massive electrical energy.

"Now, Charge Beam!"

The super-powered beam blasted the Starmie; with enough force to shatter the layer of ice and severely electrocute it. The ruby core flickered, and then began faintly blinking. Before the Starmie could sink, Misty recalled it in a flash of red light.

I had expected a jubilant celebration on Leah's part. I mean, we had just earned our second Gym Badge, for Mew's sake. But she only recalled Kenya, and then knelt next to me.

"It's over, Shadow. We'll get you fixed up soon, I promise."

The water surrounding us drained, and I felt the platform shake as Julie ran to us; the vibrations jarring my aching side and causing me to yelp.

"Great, can you help me get him to the center, Jules? I don't know if I can lift him myself-"

"You shouldn't move him, if he's injured." Julie and Leah turned to look at Misty; who was leaning against the rail. "Does he have a PokeBall? That would be the least destructive-"

"He refuses to be put in his PokeBall," Leah said firmly as she stroked my ears.

Misty knelt down next to Leah, and put a hand on her shoulder. "Pokemon are like children, Miss Walsch. They don't always know what's best for them. That is why we train them. In a way, we help raise them like a parent raises their own child. In turn, they teach us to be selfless."

Leah glanced up; the silent anger in her eyes fading away slowly at the words of wisdom. Misty smiled gently, and then offered a hand to help Leah up.

"I'm sorry your Mightyena was injured," she said softly, "but that's a part of it. I hope you will think no less of me, and except this Cascade Badge. You've certainly earned it."

Leah stared in awe at the beautiful badge, and then gingerly picked it up. "Thank you, Misty. I guess I should put him in his PokeBall, shouldn't I?"

I growled in protest as Leah drew my underused PokeBall from her belt, and then pressed the button. I felt my body disingrate as I was absorbed into the sphere, particle by particle. The peculiar feeling suddenly subsided, and I slowly cracked one eye open.

Everything was blank.

* * *

**A/N: Am I the only one who has always envisioned Dante speaking with a British accent? I just noticed that! XD**

**By the way; thanks to all of you who checked out the story I suggested. Means a lot to me. **

**Until next time,**

**~Shelby**


	56. Catching Up

**A/N:ReCAP- Won the Cascade Badge, and a spinning Starmie cracked one of Shadow's ribs. **

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Six: 

Catching Up

I collapsed on the white, non-existent floor; side aching and head reeling. I had been running into the blank void for so long, getting nowhere and causing every effort to be strenuous.

Sound confusing?

Excellent. I've done my job well.

I was disoriented, dear reader. The dull throbbing was the only thing I could feel; everything else, including my paws, were numb. Which is a peculiar feeling, let me tell you. You can tell you're standing on something solid, because your paws won't sink; but you can't feel the floor, hell, you can't feel anything!

I howled in anguish; and it echoed eerily. This only unnerved me more, and I panicked.

"Let me out, please!" I rasped; claws digging in to the non-existent floor, "I have to find her!"

When no reply came, I curled into a ball; my breathing coming in short gasps, and my body trembling.

_"Now now, Daniel. Don't you think all the desperate howling was a bit much? No need to be melodramatic, after all." _

My head snapped up; and I saw Celebi grinning at me from where she floated in midair. My hopes rose, but then I realized I had to be dreaming.

"I'm dreaming, aren't I? You're not really Celebi, life just isn't that easy. You're just some stupid mental image sent to drive me bonkers."

Her face lacking emotion, Celebi swiftly floated forward, and promptly flicked me on the nose. I yelped at the sharp pain, and then snarled, "Hey, what was that-"

_"Do you believe I'm real now?"_

"Quite," I growled, as I rubbed my nose with the back of my paw, "and why can't I feel anything else?"

_"I'm a psychic fairy who can travel through time, and your questioning why that **hurt**?_" she asked with a smirk.

"Well, _someones_ becoming quite the smart-ass," I said with a low growl.

She gave a short laugh, and then snapped her fingers.

Suddenly, we were in a room. I was laying on a sofa; my arms folded neatly over a plaid blanket.

_Wait a minute... hands!?_

I yelped as realization struck me; and my newly restored human body toppled to the floor. Celebi cackled with laughter from her arm chair, while I rubbed my elbow in disbelief.

"What the _fuck_ is going on!? Where are we?"

_"Still in your PokeBall, genius. Magical psychic fairy, remember?"_

I grumbled as I pulled myself onto the couch. Celebi paid me no heed, and continued when I was re-situated.

_"So, what have I missed? I've been busy in Ilex Forest since I last spoke with you... some idiot decided to start cutting down trees with his Farfetch'd, the bastard. I toasted the damned bird with Shock Wave, and then shoved that leek up his owner's ass-"_

"Whoa there, Seabiscuit, let's not go into detail," I said, interrupting the evil fairy.

Her face wrinkled up in confusion, _"Is that a human expression?"_

"Well, yeah. You see, Seabiscuit was a famous race-Rapidash, who had issues slowing down after he won a race-"

_"Wait, a Rapidash named **Seabiscuit**?"_

I nodded.

_"Leave it to humans to come up with such a stupid name. Anyways, to get back on topic, have you figured anything out, recently?"_

"Meaning...?"

_"About your nausea, Daniel."_

My eyes bulged; since I hadn't been naseous for a while. "I completely forgot! What was that all about, anyway?"

_"I should have guessed you wouldn't have figured it out. Do you know what an alert canine is?"_

Like the first time she asked me that question, I shook my head.

_"They have a sort of... sixth sense-"_

"So, I have this sixth sense? Is _that _why I get so nauseous?"

Celebi nodded, and explained that this was my body's way of alerting me to when Leah was so stressed, she was going to have a seizure. She finished by telling me that, if my nausea went away, the seizure threat would most likely cease, as well.

"Is there any way I can help her prevent the seizures?" I asked slowly, still marveling at this new-found ability.

Celebi shrugged, _"I'm not sure, little one. It's possible, I suppose, but you'll have to figure that out for yourself."_

I nodded solemnly, before finally growing a pair and telling her what she needed to know. "Celebi... the other night, I was visited by a Honchkrow. She warned me that, when we left Cerulean, you would be in grave danger. So, whenever you leave me here and time resumes its flow, you need to go far away from here. And don't come back until you're sure it's safe."

She blinked once at me, and then burst into a fit of laughter.

"Hey, this isn't funny!" I said seriously, "What if something happened to you!?"

_"Then I guess you would have to learn to look after yourself,"_ she said jokingly.

I frowned at her, and she realized I wasn't kidding around.

_"Oh, come now, Daniel. Have you forgotten what my abilities are? I foresaw this coming a while ago."_

I raised my eyebrows, and let out a low whistle, "Well, I suppose I _might_ have forgotten that. Guess I was just worried about you, and us. I'm afraid Leah and the others will be targeted, or something."

Celebi tapped her chin, and then nodded, _"Yup. Future says you will be."_

A chill ran down my spine, and I shivered from where I lay on the couch. "Aren't you the least bit worried about us?"

She grinned, and shook her head. _"Nope, and you'll see why soon enough. Nice talking to you, Daniel." _

She hovered overhead, before pausing.

_"By the way, I paused time right as Leah was getting ready to let you out of the PokeBall. Take care of those broken ribs, and see you tonight!"_ she chirped suddenly, before dissapearing in a cloud of green smoke; the couch, room, arm chair, and sadly my human form, disappearing with her.

~o0o~

Sure enough, I felt my body being broken up into trillions of particles, as I was sucked back into the real world. I yelped as a sharp pain shot through my side. I frantically looked around, and noticed that I was laying under the magical healing machine. I relaxed; and allowed the tingling sensation to overcome me. I felt slight twinges of pain, as my splintered ribs were fixed. And then, all at once; I was healed.

"He'll need to take these drugs for the next couple of days, to help with the pain," said the Nurse Joy, as she handed Leah a bottle, "The instructions are on the bottle. Even though his ribs are fixed; he's got a lot of bruising that we can't fix. In other words, he's going to be rather sore the next few days. Better if he doesn't battle, but it won't kill him if you do."

The Chansey orderly wrapped a bandage around my midsection; the adhesive sticking to my thick fur. I mumbled a thank you, and then stiffly limped over to the group.

"Did I miss anything?" I asked Claire nonchalantly.

She jumped a bit at my presence, but then sighed. "Not much. Kenya and Tyson were racing on the way here, and the dumbass ran into a light pole."

I was about to ask which dumbass, but Tyson charged over to me and said, "Is you okay, Shadow? Tyson was worried. Fire-lizard said you would die if Tyson didn't shut up."

I shot Claire a venomous look, and she shrugged, "What? It got him to shut up, at least."

"I'm allowed to be upset! You used my life to blackmail him."

"Uncle Shadow, you're okay!" squealed Kenya, running over to me, skidding on the tile floor, and slamming into my bad side.

I winced, and then growled, "Kenya, that hurt!"

Her ears drooped, and she whimpered, "Sorry... I just wanted to give you a hug!"

Claire shot me an accusing look, but I ignored it. "Well, just be more careful next time, Kenya."

She nodded, and then jumped up and down excitedly, "Hey Uncle Shadow, did you see me battle! I hit that Starmie so fast-"

"You battled well, Kenya," I barked, cutting her short, "but now Uncle Shadow needs to go take a nap."

She seemed crestfallen, but I was simply too tired to care. I wanted one thing; sleep. Though I doubted I would get any. I wasn't particularly comfortable with the fact that, the following night, my friends and I were going to be ambushed. And coping with the fact there was nothing I could do about it, didn't exactly help the situation.

"That was an awesome battle, Shadow!" said Keon in a delighted voice as I settled down beside him and Dante, "Don't you agree?"

"I found battling in water quite exhilarating, myself," said Dante, "perhaps we'll have to go there again some ti-"

"If I ever see a Starmie again, I will Thunder Fang the nearest Pokemon," I growled irritably.

They both fell silent, and remained that way until Leah finished her paperwork at the front desk.

"Julie, Shelley, and Tak are back at the room," she explained as she walked over to us, "we're going to pack up our things, and leave here in a few minutes. There's a bridge north of town, and I hear there's a tournament where we can win a bunch of money. We'll do that, and then we can head back here to stay the night."

The prospect of battling not thrilling me in the least, I reluctantly followed; lagging behind the rest of the group.

It was beginning to look like I wasn't going to get that nap anytime soon...

* * *

The boy examined his map, and then sighed with indecision. He whirled and knelt next to his Pokemon; shoving the map in her face for a better look.

"What do you think, Electra? Should we train a little first, or just head straight to the Gym?"

She looked up at him with her normal passive expression, and then yawned.

His energetic smile faded, and he snorted, "Right. Forgot you have no opinion. Training it is."

He began walking in the direction of the town once again, and only looked back when he realized his Jolteon wasn't following him.

"Electra?"

She yawned again from where she was sitting; smack dab in the middle of the road. Hadn't moved an inch.

"C'mon, Electra," he pleaded as he stuffed the map back into his pockets, "don't make this difficult. You can't just sit there forever."

"Try me," she said with a smirk, "I could live off my fat for weeks."

Of course, he failed to understand her, and sighed exasperatedly instead. "You are a big pain in the ass, you know that, right?"

She grinned as he drew a PokeBall from his belt; knowing what was coming next. The Tropius appeared, and then licked it's master on top of the head.

"Gah! Pyro, this is no time for affection," the boy said with a laugh, "I need you to give Electra and I a ride to the next city. Think you're up to it?"

The Topius jubilantly stomped his feet, and then lowered his head so the young trainer could hoist the Jolteon up, and then crawl on himself.

"Geez, Electra! We need to add some Slim-Quick to your diet, you're packing on the pounds!"

She jolted him with a weak Thundershock, and then grumbled, "You have a lot to learn about women, Jerm. Never comment on their weight. That's _quite_ a touchy subject."

Pyro bellowed happily, and then began jogging towards the city off in the distance; the earth quaking with every step.

* * *

George Devault had worked for the Safari Zone since he was young. His hair now receding, and his mustache grey; he realized his life had become quite the routine.

You see, George drove the small van, that took tourists through the park.

"To your left, you will see the mighty Kangaskhan, playing with her young," he said in a monotonous voice; his lines memorized after many years of practice.

There was the clicking of digital cameras, as the amazed tourists snapped photos of the mother and her child.

"To your right is the breeding center, and you can just use your imagination on that one, folks."

The adults laughed politely, before continuing their chatter amongst themselves, while the children tugged at their sleeves and asked to know what was so funny. George himself failed to find the humor in the stale, overused joke.

"If you continue looking to your right, you'll see where the Primeape and Mankey colony is. Primeape are normally extremely hostile creatures, that enjoy-"

"Mommy, what is that!?" squealed a young child.

George, angered at the interruption, pulled his binoculars from the glove box and peered out the window. "What's that Leafeon up to?" he muttered to himself as he watched it stroll casually toward the colony.

Enthralled by what was about to happen, George whipped the van around and drove off the beaten path; until he was a mere hundred feet away from the Leafeon. She remained completely oblivious to the presence of the humans, and their van. George realized with a jolt that she was headed for the pile of fruit the pig-monkeys had collected, and he watched in awe as she confidently selected an apple, and began devouring it.

A Mankey turned and saw her, before barreling towards her in a fit of rage. George braced himself for the sound of the Leafeon's death, but was rather shocked when she swiped the meager creature away with a single paw. It skidded across the dusty ground, before squalling in anger and charging the Leafeon again.

This time, she did not even look up from her meal, but instead her tail began to glow with a silvery light, before becoming a hardened blade. She slashed the Mankey, and then slammed the flat of her tail-blade up against his head. The gash on his back made blood splatter the arid earth, and caused it to go limp.

"This is hardly suitable for children!" wailed a woman from behind George, "I demand you to get back on the path this instant. Or I'll be sure to get you fired the moment we get back!"

"Go to hell," snarled the old man, "this is the most exciting thing my job has ever given me. I'll be damned if some... _rich tourist_, is going to take that away from me!"

The woman fell silent, and began covering the ears of her two children as a bloodcurdling scream could be heard from the battlefield. George whipped around and watched in awe as a group of three, no, four Mankey encircled the Leafeon. They alternated darting in, pounding her, and then retreating. The overwhelming barrage of attacks was slowly defeating the Leafeon.

Taking matters into his own hands, George slammed his fist into the steering wheel. The blaring horn caused the group of Mankey to look up, allowing the battered Leafeon to rise to her feet, and regain control of the fight. She opened her mouth, and a torrent of razor-sharp leaves assaulted the Mankey. One of them squealed, and hastily ran back to the large mass of Primeape and Mankey that remained oblivious to the fight.

The three remaining Mankey seemed apprehensive, and backed up so that their backs were touching; fists readied in case she chose to attack. The Leafeon stepped forward, and then split into twelve copies of herself.

The three Mankey pressed closer together; whimpering in fear. Suddenly, one of the Leafeon darted forward and slashed the pig-monkey nearest to her, and it slumped to the ground; the Aerial Ace attack too much for it to handle. The remaining two shuddered, and the grabbed their unconscious brethren by the tails and high-tailed it back to the colony.

The copies faded into the soil, and the Leafeon resumed her meal; unperturbed.

Thinking the excitement was over, George was about to turn around and head back to the path, when a primal roar resounded across the plain. The old man watched as the two Mankey re-emerged from the crowd; each with a hand pulling along a massive, raging beast.

The Primeape they escorted was nearly a foot over the average height of its species, and a crudely made crown made of thatched twigs adorned his head. When they were near the oblivious Leafeon, the two Mankey scampered back to their mothers.

The Primeape smashed his fist into the palm of his hand, and allowed another primal roar to escape his mouth.

George held his breath as he watched the Leafeon again take her battle-stance; head low to the ground and steely tail raised in a defensive position. He knew this battle wouldn't end well, and couldn't help but marvel at the Primeape. He was, generally speaking, a ball of un-kept fur, with a pig-shaped nose and hateful eyes. Yet he was savage, spiteful, nimble, and full of hate-fueled power.

The colony placidly watched from behind him; expectant he would triumph, as he always had. That was why he was their king, after all.

The Leafeon made the first move, by firing a Bullet Seed at the ape. He dodged nimbly to the side, before darting forward and slamming his fist into the side of her head. The Leafeon staggered backwards, before slashing his arm with her tail. The Iron Tail attack only seemed to enrage him more; and the king raked her repeatedly with sharp claws.

The Fury Swipes attack did little more than annoy her, and she fired a Shadow Ball at him point-blank. The Primeape king howled in pain, and reeled away from her. Whereas the Primeape excelled in close-combat, she gained control from a distance.

She took advantage of the pause in the battle to use Sunny Day. Her eyes glowed bright red, before simmering and returning to their natural, dark-brown coloration. She finished the maneuver just in time to receive a Swift attack full-blast.

The star-shaped rays stung on impact, and caused the Eeveelution to squeal in pain. The Primeape followed close behind, before using Karate Chop. Her hardened tail managed to deflect it, and then she flicked it and it slashed his wrist. He leapt backwards and out of reach of her blade, only to see her split into nearly twenty different copies, all surrounding him in a circle.

The king smirked, before glowing with an intensifying red energy. The copies blinked at him; not at all expecting the Overheat attack that was to come. When enough energy was gathered, the Primeape howled in fury, and the flames were unleashed. They escaped him in a circle; hitting every last copy and causing a small explosion.

The dust cloud reached even the van; where George covered his eyes with his sleeve and coughed.

The dust settled, to reveal a single Leafeon sustaining a green bubble around her. The Primeape king, weak from the explosive attack, could only watch in horror as the Leafeon dissolved the Protect bubble, and then opened her maw to release a super-charged Solarbeam.

The column of light caused the Primeape to utter a bloodcurdling scream, before collapsing on the dusty ground; bleeding and in excruciating pain. The Leafeon calmly walked up to him, and then pressed the blade of her tail up against his body; where his throat would have been if his figure consisted of more than just a sphere.

The king whimpered, and then lifted a trembling hand in submission, before falling unconscious.

The people on the van, including George, applauded jubilantly; having witnessed a rare sight. The Leafeon, still oblivious to their prescence, limped over to the pile of fruit, and lay in the soil; nursing her wounds by using Synthesis.

The two Mankey from before timidly emerged from the awestruck group of pig-monkeys, and then lifted the twig crown from their former king's head. Cautiously, they approached the preening Leafeon, and then placed the crown on her head.

She paused from tending to her wounds long enough to stare at the peculiar creatures. They bowed low to her, and then their colony followed their actions. Realizing that being their queen meant unlimited food and protection from any other Pokemon threats, the Leafeon nodded her acceptance, and then followed the two Mankey to her new home.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was for all you who wanted to hear from Kelly. And... the Celebi bit was thrown in for comic relief. XD**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	57. Across the Bridge

**A/N: ReCap- Celebi finally showed up, Shadow was healed mostly, but is still sore. And Tyson is, AGAIN, speaking third person. **

**Oh; and Kelly became queen of the Pig-Monkeys. ^^ Enjoy~**

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Seven:

Across the Bridge

"They never told us that stupid tournament was going to take that long!" whined Julie for the millionth time, "That's so inconsiderate!"

I yawned loudly, before looking up at Leah. She was admiring the gold Nugget she had won, and whistling absentmindedly. After we won the bridge tournament, we had explored a bit on the other side of the bridge.

"Lay off it, Jules," Leah said, stifling a yawn, "we still got to look around a bit, though there's not much to see other than that lake everyone was making out around."

Julie stuck out her tongue to show she was grossed-out. I, on the other hand, was panicking. It was starting to get dark. I was expecting Arceus to pop up and blast us into oblivion any moment.

"This exploring stuff is fun and all, but I don't like the dark. Can't we got back to the Pokemon Center now?" whimpered Julie.

Leah sighed exasperatedly, and then enlarged a PokeBall. "Fine, you wimp. Claire, can you light the way for us?"

The Charmeleon glanced around once she appeared, and then nodded absentmindedly. "Sure. Are we just crossing the bridge and heading back to Cerulean?"

I didn't answer her. My paranoia was making me tremble all over, and the only thing I wanted to do was high-tail it back to Cerulean City. So naturally, when Claire began to amble slowly across the large bridge, I was ushering her forward.

"C'mon, Claire! Where's your sense of urgency?" I barked helplessly from behind her.

"What's the matter?" she jeered playfully over her shoulder, "Past your bedtime?"

"Claire," I growled anxiously, "just _move_!"

"Where did the other trainers from the tournament go?" asked Julie uneasily from behind us.

"They're probably already back in Cerulean City," grumbled Leah, "Claire, can you make your tail flame any larger? I can't see anything."

Claire did as she was told, and the end of the bridge became visible. I had began to whoosh out a breath of relief, when a chilling wind blew across the bridge; making Claire's tail flame flicker and sputter.

"W-what was th-that?" stuttered Julie from where she hid behind her best friend.

Leah's confidence was slightly beginning to fade. "Um... just the wind, Julie. Claire, can we pick up the pace?"

"Pansies," Claire muttered as she began moving forward a little faster.

The wind continued to howl, and Claire had to cover her flame so it wouldn't be snuffed out. With hardly any light coming from her tail, the dark enveloped us. The wind suddenly stopped, and two red eyes glared at us from the end of the bridge. Claire stopped dead in her tracks, and my hackles raised.

"Run!" screamed Julie, and her and Leah took off at a sprint back the way they came.

I began to follow, but I noticed Claire was frozen from fear.

"Claire, c'mon, damnit!" I barked.

The two eyes, never blinking, slowly began to advance on us. I fired a Dark Pulse at it, and then bit Claire on the tail. She yelped, and then realized how close the being was. She torched it with a Flamethrower, and for a brief moment the figure's face was illuminated.

But then, a rush of psychic-energy blasted Claire and I backwards, and we were sent scrambling back to Leah and Julie on the other side of the bridge.

"Was that a Pokemon?" said Julie in trembling voice.

"I don't know," panted Leah, "but I don't feel safe here."

She sent everyone else out of their PokeBalls, and explained what happened.

"What if it comes and gets us, Uncle Shadow?" cried Kenya.

I didn't answer her; I was too busy watching the bridge. I was so intent on the bridge, however, that I was oblivious to the other figures that were forming a circle around our group. It was only when Claire poked me in my side that I noticed the army of powerful Pokemon that had surrounded us; cutting off our exit to Cerulean.

* * *

The 'Original One' stared at the fight erupting beneath him with slight irritation. His army was supposed to crush those who resisted him; not give them chance after chance to forfeit. He paced quickly back and forth, and wondered why the damn fairy hadn't shown up.

_"Call off your warriors, Arceus." _

The Alpha Pokemon glanced upward, and narrowed his eyes when he saw the tiny pink feline floating before him.

_"Back off, Mew,"_he snarled; forming a Hyper Beam in his mouth,_ "this doesn't concern you."_

The ultimate Pokemon goddess rolled her eyes, and then snapped her fingers. The beam fizzled out before he had a chance to launch it, and his eyes flashed with malice.

_"Why do you hate them so?"_ she asked in a weary voice.

Arceus, taken aback by the question, struggled to answer. _"I don't know what you're talking about-"_

_"Humans, Arceus,"_ Mew said in a soft voice, _"why do you fear them?"_

The giant white stag snorted.

_"I fear no one. It is Celebi I hate. Her affections with that... that human, are asking for trouble,"_ he stated firmly, though he spat the word 'human'.

Mew chuckled, and floated over to the Alpha Pokemon, before resting a paw on his massive shoulder.

_"Arceus, legendaries have taken likings to humans plenty of times before. You know good and well this has nothing to do with Celebi,"_ she said gently.

His demeanor softened, and he became less tense.

_"Humans have ruined everything,"_ he hissed, _"they are why we must constantly hide. Do not forget, it was not always this way."_

Mew flinched slightly at the truth behind his words, but then calmly replied, _"You are not much of a saint yourself, Arceus. You have become quite fond of killing in cold blood, and manipulating others to do your bidding."_

His lime green eyes flashed, but were subdued immediately when Mew gave a short laugh, _"Arceus, you forget that I created you, and that I can just as easily kill you off. Now, here is what's going to happen. I'm going to count to three. When I'm finished; you are going to be half way to the Hall of Origin, and that damned army is going to disappear from my view. Sound fair?"_

Arceus shot her an incredulous look, but the New Specie Pokemon was unperturbed. In fact, she giggled, and floated upward.

_"One, two..."_

* * *

I howled in pain as the fire scorched my back, and I landed with a thud on my side. I whimpered as the Blaziken leaned close and hissed, "Just say down, hear me? Stay down, and your friends won't be hurt."

I saw a flurry of movement out of the corner of my eye, and then heard an enraged roar as Tyson headbutted the Blaziken in the stomach.

"You no burn human-wolf, you overgrown chicken!"

My side was throbbing, and my back was raw where the embers had singed my fur. I watched with dimming eyes as Claire raked her claws over a Hitmonlee, and then blasted a Magneton with a pillar of fire.

_'What are you doing? Your loved ones are in danger! So what if it hurts!? Suck it up, be a man. You have to Protect them!' _

_'Just do as the Blaziken told you, Shadow! Remember what Celebi said-' _

_'To hell with Celebi! She was wrong before, and look what that cost you, you damned fool! Remember what happened last time you cowered and did nothing? You lost her! Get UP!'_

My head was spinning as the two voices argued back and forth. I saw an Aggron pinning Claire to the ground, whispering to her as the Blaziken had done to me. But Keon jumped onto the giant's back, and slammed his fists repetitively into the Aggron's head. It roared in agony, and then shook its massive head until the hardy little Machop was flung to the ground.

"Would you just _listen_ to me!" shouted someone, and then I heard a scream that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Uncle Shadow, please, _help_ me!"

They had Kenya.

Pain shot through me as I rose to my paws, and looked around for the Luxio. I charged the Floatzel that was towering over her, and dug my blunt claws into its flesh, before my fangs found their way to the back of its neck. Electricity surged forward, and the Floatzel squealed in pain, before he began flailing. I simply dug my claws in further, and buried my fangs deeper into his flesh.

I held on until I saw Kenya run to cower behind Tyson and Keon, before leaping off the water-type and spitting his fur out of my mouth. I staggered over to Leah and Julie, who were crying and covering their ears so they wouldn't hear the sounds of their Pokemon being hurt.

I took a protective stance in front of them, and vaguely remember the figure from the bridge walking towards me slowly. My lips curled back in a feral snarl, and my hackles raised.

"What do you want from us?"

The Medicham opened his mouth to answer, when a shimmering light engulfed us, and everything went black.

* * *

The weary boy collapsed onto his hotel bedroom, and sighed heavily. The long day of training and traveling had worn down his energy, and he wanted nothing more than a good night's sleep. His Jolteon ambled over, and attempted to heft her bulk onto the bed, as well. Once she succeeded, she plopped down next to him and yawned.

"It's been a long day, hasn't it, ol' girl?" he murmured as he rubbed her behind the ears fondly.

She nodded in agreement, and then curled up next to him; her spiky yelled fur pressed up against his leg. He smiled and patted the pudgy Eeveelution, before a bright flash of light caught his eye. Jeremy whirled to the window, and watched as the light intensified, and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.

It all happened so quickly, that he thought his weary mind was simply playing tricks on him. And yet...

He grumbled as he stood up, and then grabbed his things.

"Electra, c'mon. Let's go investigate."

She cracked one eye open, growled, and then curled into a tighter ball. He smirked, and said with a laugh, "C'mon, quit pretending, Electra. I know you're not asleep-"

His sentence was cut off as a loud snore made him jump from surprise. Frustrated with her constant laziness, Jeremy made the mistake of trying to prod her awake. Electricity crackled as he yelped at withdrew his hand.

"Fine. If you won't come willingly; I'll just have to put you in your PokeBall..."

Quicker than lightning, she bolted up and was pawing at the door. He grinned triumphantly, and then they ran into the night to investigate.

* * *

_"-Desperate times call for desperate measures, Celebi."_

_"Yes, I suppose so. Did you wipe his mind as well?"_

_"No, I... He's coming around. Try to wake him again. I must go, before the others awaken as well."_

I felt a gentle shove, and groaned as I opened my eyes slowly. Two beautiful sapphire eyes gleamed at me, and their owner smiled warmly.

_"Welcome back to the land of the living. How do you feel?"_

Considering I felt like shit, I chose to ignore the question and insert my own. "What the hell happened?"

_"Mew put Arceus in his place, I gave the news to his army, and so they left. And, Mew erased your friend's memories of tonight; so they would forget about seeing me." _

I groggily pushed myself upright, and looked at her. "They saw you? And what's this about... Arceus's army?"

_"Yes. You see, Arceus ordered them to attack you and your friends, so that I would appear, and he could confront me. Long story short; the warriors felt bad about targeting you, so they tried to warn you. Unfortunately, you're a stubborn little twit, so you didn't listen-"_

I was dumbfounded. The Blaziken had been telling the truth, and so had the others. So they _hadn't _wanted to hurt us...

_"-And so, after Mew dealt with Arceus, she and I appeared to you and your friends. I teleported the warriors back to where they came from, and Mew erased their minds. _

"So, what now?" I asked; suddenly feeling very tired, and just wanted to sleep and forget the day's events.

Celebi seemed to notice this, and answered in a softer voice, _"Now, I leave you alone, and time resumes its flow. See, didn't I tell you everything would work out in the end?"_

I nodded, and she smiled before disappearing in her trademark cloud of green smoke.

I realized I was in the middle of the clearing; with everyone asleep around me. The moon was high in the night sky, and I realized we were probably here for the night. I rose stiffly to my paws, and moaned as my side ached from the bruising. I glanced over my shoulder and immediately noticed the missing hair, and raw, reddened flesh.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, I hobbled over to check on everyone else. Leah had a small cut above her left eye, but other than that seemed virtually unharmed. Julie was completely unscathed, and she was protectively curled around Tak and Shelley.

I limped to Kenya next, and was relieved to see she was fine as well. Dante was sprawled out a few feet away from her, and he was a bit more beaten up. He had a scratch running across his stomach, and his feathers were blood-caked. But the bleeding had stopped, and he seemed to be stable.

Tyson was snoring contentedly when I reached him; his feet twitching as he ran through his dreams.

Keon was next, and he looked to be in the worst shape of all. His blue-grey body was covered in purplish bruises, and a cut on his lower back had covered him in blood. But, just like the others, he seemed stable.

And then, I reached Claire. She was covered in hundreds of tiny scratches and cuts, but her tail flame was burning with it's usual intensity. Her eyes flickered open suddenly; causing me to jump a little. She moaned, and then dug her claws into the soil.

"Shadow?"

"Careful, Claire," I whispered, "you're hurt."

"The fuck I am," she snarled as she pushed herself upright.

She rubbed her head, and then blearily glanced around. "Ugh... I feel like I was hit by a train," she groaned miserably.

"Try to use a different expression," I said in a joking manner as I provided my shoulder to aide her in getting up.

Her eyes widened, and she stuttered, "Oh Mew, Shadow... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, really," I woofed softly; biting my lower lip as her claws dug into my shoulder and she pulled herself upright.

She groaned as she leaned up against me, and then let out a little gasp as she noticed the others. "Holy shit, what happened? Are they all okay?"

"Everyone's fine," I assured her as we slowly made our way over to Leah and Julie, "I checked on them all already."

I felt her wince as she stumbled, and then she shot me an expectant look; waiting for me to continue. I carefully sat her back on the ground, and then began walking away. I knew we needed firewood, and since everyone else was out like a light, and Claire was fairly weak; I was the only candidate for the job. The autumn nights had brought much cooler weather, after all.

"Shadow, you never answered my question. What happened to us?"

I was about to answer her, when a movement on the bridge caught my attention. I backed up next to Claire, and we both began snarling; ready to fight off anything that dared attack us.

A boy and a Jolteon stood at the end of the bridge; gaping at my friends who were sprawled out across the ground.

* * *

**A/N:I've been a little disappointed with this chapter from the start, so constructive criticism is much appreciated. I can only hope the coming chapters are better... and more fun to write. Not to be a damper, it just seemed like writing this one was a bit of a chore, it seemed.**

**In other news, I'm now a certified Beta Reader! :D If you're extremely bored; check out my beta profile.**

**Well anyways... sorry about the late update. **

**~Shelby**


	58. Down the Staircase

**A/N: Wow, it's been a long time, hasn't it? I suppose I have some explaining to do. This chapter would have been here a lot sooner, but I rewrote Chapter 4 before even beginning this. And no, I haven't posted the rewrite. I need to finish the Chapter 5 rewrite too before that. My apologies... :/**

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Eight: 

Down the Staircase

"Shadow? Is that you?"

The familiar voice severed my adrenaline flow, and I immediately felt weak with relief as I realized we weren't under attack.

"Holy crap!" cried Jeremy. He ran past Claire and I, before nudging Leah and Julie to awaken them.

"What happened to you guys?" Jodi asked concernedly as she trotted up to us.

"I've been wondering the same thing," Claire grumbled, before glancing up at me expectantly.

"I... I don't know," I stammered convincingly, "I just remember waking up, and finding everyone unconscious."

We turned to face Leah, as she moaned weakly and sat up. She winced when she touched her finger to her forehead, and then looked around.

"Uh... Jeremy? What are you doing here?" Her eyes began to widen as she noticed her injured team laying strewn around her. "And what did you do to my Pokemon!?"

"Calm down," he said in a reassuring voice, before helping the two girls to their feet, "It wasn't me. We just found you here a few minutes ago."

Julie let out a cry of relief as Shelley and Tak both woke up simultaneously. "I'm so happy you two are okay!" she cried, before squeezing them tightly in a hug.

Leah rose to her feet, and then stumbled a bit. Jeremy grabbed her arm to stabilize her, and she let out a cry of despair. With Jeremy's help, she went to Kenya and checked her over. The little Luxio's eyes fluttered open, and she purred as Leah rubbed her behind the ears.

"Are you okay, Kenya?" she asked concernedly, before crouching next to her and cradling the Luxio in her arms.

Julie and Shelley ran to Dante, and helped the weakened Psyduck sit upright. Tak flitted over to Tyson, and pecked him on the head to wake him. Then, Jeremy left Leah, and went to Keon. He gently shook the Machop by the shoulders, and eventually Keon woke up.

"Gah... I'm in pain," he stated hoarsely, before shooing Jeremy away and pushing himself to his feet.

"Wha... what happened?" he asked me as I sat down beside him.

"We don't know," I lied, before his eyes snapped wide open.

"Claire! Is she okay? The Aggron..."

"Claire's fine," I assured him, "it's you everyone's worried about. Can you walk?"

"Maybe," he said with a grimace, "but even if I can't, I'm not accepting help. I'll crawl if I have to."

"Crawl then. Because I wasn't offering," I said simply, before getting up and leaving him to his own devices.

Actually, I _had_ been offering to help him out. But if his pride was going to keep him from accepting help, my pride could just as easily make me deny it. I felt a little bad walking away from him, but he had wanted me to leave him alone, right?

"That was rude," Jodi said bluntly, as I limped back towards Leah and Julie.

"_He _was being stubborn, and I have a reputation to uphold, Jodi-"

"You mean as the selfish, self-centered jerk?"

I stopped in my tracks, before glaring at her. Her intense gaze never wavered, and her piercing gaze shot right through me.

"Well, I'd say you're doing a pretty good job there, Shadow. I doubt anyone would mistake you for anything else," she said in a softer voice, before looking me up and down, and then walking on past.

Speechless, I just sat where I was. Luckily, Jeremy broke the silence.

"You all need to get back to the Pokemon Center," he said, before tossing a PokeBall into the air. His Tropius, Pyro, materialized and looked around in confusion.

"What was the point of that?" Leah asked stiffly.

"Whoever attacked you guys might still be near here," Jeremy said before climbing onto his Pokemon, "You'd be much safer traveling by air instead. Just recall your Pokemon, and climb aboard."

He held out his hand, and Leah glared at it like it was raw liver. Julie, however, flounced on by and put her hand in his.

"You're so heroic," she giggled, before picking up Shelley and letting Tak land on her shoulder.

Jeremy shot her a weird look, before pulling her onto Pyro and motioning to Leah.

"I don't need protection," she said sweetly, before recalling everyone but me into their PokeBalls.

"It's not like I'm asking you to cut off your finger," Jeremy sighed.

Leah glanced up at him and Julie, and finally caved. Jeremy picked Jodi up and set her in front of him, and Leah attempted to do the same with me.

"Geez, Shadow, how much do you _weigh_?"

"More than you," I growled.

"You'll have to recall him, too," Jeremy said matter-of-factly.

She nodded, and reached for my PokeBall.

"How come the overweight Jolteon gets a ride!?" I howled, before backing away from Leah.

"Oh, it's not that bad, Shadow!" chirped Jodi sarcastically from her spot on Jeremy's lap, "It's time to put on your big-boy underpants and just deal with it!"

I shot her a venomous glare, before the peculiar feeling again overcame me as I was sucked into the void of the PokeBall.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, we were all sitting in the Pokemon Center Lobby, waiting for Leah to come out with Keon, whom had fractured his wrist in the fight. Julie was chatting excitedly with Jeremy, whom kept glancing at the clock. He drummed his fingers on the tabletop, and Jodi snored at his feet. Shelley was in Julie's lap, and Tak was perched on her shell, while Dante, Kenya, Tyson, Claire and I were sprawled out on the floor.

"I miss Keon," Kenya whimpered.

"It's not like he's dead," snorted Claire, "he'll be out in a few minutes."

"Poor fucker should've known not to take on an Aggron," Shelley said as solemnly as she was capable of being.

"He was protecting the one he loves," Tak interjected, "doesn't that count for something?"

Claire glared at the Natu, before snarling, "Let's get one thing straight, bird-brain. I don't need protection from _anyone_. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," croaked Tak, before shuddering a little.

"How much longer until they get his wrist fixed?" I asked Dante.

"It was your typical scaphoid fracture," he said with a shrug, "it should be fairly easy for them to heal, what with the technology and-"

"What the fuck are you talking about, Dante?" Shelley groaned.

The Psyduck cleared his throat, and tried again, "It's a small fracture. Easily fixed. They're probably already done, and just discussing how to care for it."

"Thanks for the translation," I said with a laugh.

We fell silent, and watched the doors anxiously for Keon and Leah to emerge.

"Tyson want a cookie," blurted the mental Cranidos, shattering the silence and causing us all to glare at him for his stupidity.

All except Kenya, of course, who was as oblivious as they come.

When the doors finally swung open, Leah walked out; ushering Keon along. His arms were firmly folded across his chest, and he had a hateful look plastered on his face. His left wrist was in a black splint, and he had a bandage wrapped around his lower midsection; covering the gash on his back.

"Keon, stop looking so angry," Leah pleaded as they walked towards us, "It's only for a couple of days..."

He refused to look at any of us as he walked over, and Leah sighed heavily as she sat down next to Julie.

"So, everyone's okay?" asked Jeremy.

Leah nodded, and yawned. The silence that followed was extremely awkward, and Jeremy decided to break it after a minute or two.

"Look, you two, I'm sorry I turned down your original offer..."

"So you'll travel with us?" Julie squealed hopefully.

"Erm... not exactly. I still feel the same way. I was just afraid I was coming off like a jerk-"

"Whatever would give you that idea?" Leah muttered grumpily under her breath.

He glanced at her in a confused manner, and then cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm sorry. But its nothing personal, and I've already told you that. Besides, I'm not that far behind you any more."

He dug into his bag and drew out his badge case. When it opened, the Boulder Badge gleamed in the artificial lighting.

"See? I'm planning on training for a few days, and then challenging Gym Leader Misty. Then, we'll be even!"

He grinned widely at his achievement, and Leah couldn't help but smile along with him and Julie.

"I didn't just show you two for praise," Jeremy said with a grin, "I figured that it might mean something. If I'm that close behind you, then we'll probably be seeing each other around more, right?"

Julie's face lit up like a Christmas tree on crack, and even Leah managed a genuine smile.

"We'll be looking forward to it," she said softly, before she and Julie yawned simultaneously.

"Look, it's getting late, and I have a long day of training tomorrow. So, I think I'm going to get some sleep," Jeremy said sleepily, before standing up and stretching.

"We should probably do the same," Leah sighed, before standing up and pushing in her chair.

Jeremy nudged Jodi awake with the toe of his shoe, before waving goodbye and leaving for his room. Jodi looked around blearily, before smiling at me.

"See you later, Shadow. Try to work on that attitude while I'm gone, m'kay?" she said with a mischievous grin.

Having gotten over our little fight from before, I smiled myself, and nodded. She winked at me, before getting up and waddling along behind her trainer.

"How does a Jolteon, one of the fastest Pokemon in the world, get _that fat_?" Julie whispered, marveling at the irony.

Leah shrugged, before motioning for us to follow her back to our room; to get the sleep we all desperately needed.

* * *

You know, I believe I had forgotten how stupid people could be, between the time Kelly left her egg on the tracks, and up to our time spent in Cerulean City. But just when you begin to think 'Wow, maybe not _all_ people are idiotic fuckers who deserve to be drop-kicked to Orre', one sad little bastard will say something so stupid, it jerks you right back to reality. That one sad little bastard, also happened to be the one thing standing between us, and Saffron City.

We entered the passage building between Cerulean and Saffron, and immediately saw the guard. He was sitting behind a counter that ran along the right wall, reading a magazine with naked woman on the cover, and eating a deli sandwich. We were about to pass him, when he glanced up and yelled, "Hey, where do you think you're going!?"

Julie shot Leah a quizzical look, before saying, "Uh... Saffron City?"

The guard laughed, and returned his eyes to the magazine. "Sorry, ladies, but I can't let you pass."

"And just why is that, exactly?" Leah demanded, while putting her hands on her hips.

The guard neatly folded his magazine up, tucked it away beneath his counter, and leaned forward to glare at Leah and Julie properly.

"Be_cause..._ I'm _really_ thirsty, you idiot."

Leah blinked, before she and Julie burst into a fit of giggles. The guard raised an eyebrow, before frowning angrily at their reaction. When Leah noticed the look on his face, her laughter died out like a candle exposed to a sprinkler system.

"Wait... you were being serious?"

The guard nodded curtly, before leaning back in his chair and taking another bite from his sandwich.

"So, let me get this straight," Julie said as she leaned onto the counter, "You aren't going to let us go to Saffron City, because you're _thirsty_!?"

"That would be correct," said the guard, unfazed.

Julie screamed her frustration and threw her hands up in the air, while Leah dug through her bag.

"Here," she said, tossing him a water bottle, "I haven't drank out of it yet. It's all yours."

He opened the bottle hesitantly. Then, he tilted his head back and chugged it; gulping down every last bit of it before wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve and sighing contentedly.

"Great!" Julie chirped, "So can we go now?"

"Nope," he said simply, before tossing the emptied water bottle over his shoulder.

"Why not!?" Leah yelled, infuriated, "I gave you an entire water bottle! What's your problem now?"

"Still thirsty," he murmured, before flipping the page and letting out a low whistle as he examined it.

"What does you dehydration issue have to do with us going to Saffron City!?"

He paused, appeared momentarily thoughtful, and then shrugged.

"I don't know. For some reason, I really just want to make your life miserable. You'll either have to forget about Saffron, or take the Underground Path."

"The Underground Path?"

"It's a little shady, and you might get raped, but it'll get you to Saffron City," he said with a casual shrug, as if it was an everyday occurrence.

Leah gaped at him, while Julie whimpered at the prospect.

"So you're really not going to let us pass... because you're thirsty," Leah clarified.

"Bingo," muttered the guard, before eating the last bite of his sandwich and turning the next page in his magazine.

Leah and Julie both groaned, before reluctantly turning around and heading back the way they came. I had begun to follow, but I hesitated. Making up my mind, I whirled back towards the guard, and put my front paws up on the counter, before swiftly ripping the magazine from his hands with my jaws.

"Hey! Give me that back!" he screeched. But it was useless.

I shook my head furiously, and the thin paper shredded easily in my maw. I spat out the remains, before trotting off after Leah and Julie, who were running away from the enraged guard.

Once outside the passage building, Leah laughed and flung her arms around my neck.

"That was awesome, Shadow," she said with a grin.

I licked her cheek, and she giggled, before standing up and looking around. To our left, there was a small, rusty building with a sign on it. Julie jogged over and read aloud, "Underground Path. Enter at own risk."

Leah and I sauntered up behind her, and stared at the door indecisively.

"Should we go in?" Julie finally asked.

Leah sucked in a breath, before nodding. "Yeah. I need the Saffron City Gym Badge. Besides, Shadow will protect us, right?"

I nodded, but still felt uneasy about it. Leah pushed the door open, to reveal a tiny room with dim lighting. Cobwebs decorated every crevice, and a rotting bench sat up against one wall. Julie stepped in first, and peered over the rail in the center of the room. A gigantic, iron wrought spiral staircase twirled downward; farther than the eye could see. Leah and Julie gulped, and I felt my hackles raise.

I had a feeling we where descending into the depths of hell.

* * *

**A/N: No, the thirsty guard isn't just some random plot-device I'm using. In the games, they actually have a guard that won't let you pass because he is 'really thirsty'. I thought it would be funny to show how a REAL trainer would react if that was used as an excuse. Seriously... how dumb is that? **

**Well, anyways. I hope you guys aren't giving up on me. I know updates are a little slow, especially in comparison to how they used to be, but please keep in mind I have a very busy, demanding, pre-scheduled life outside this website. **

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	59. Echoes

**A/N: Wow, it's been long and stressful, but finally everything has settled down a little bit, and I can return my attention to writing. As long as its been, how about a recap?**

**ReCAP~ Jeremy and Jodi found our favorite little travelers, Keon ended up with a broken wrist, and we met a _really _thirsty guard. XD **

* * *

Chapter Fifty-Nine:

Echoes

Remember how I told you we were descending into the depths of hell? Well, I was partially correct in my description. The differences between the Underground Path and hell are not hard to find. Hell is fiery, sweltering hot, and I'm guessing it's well lit, due to all the fire. But the Underground Path of Kanto is cold, damp, musty, and dimly lit.

And now, you may ask, what are the similarities?

Both places are fucking miserable.

* * *

I tentatively put my fore-paw on the cold stone floor, and glanced around. To my dismay, I couldn't see a single thing. I blinked repeatedly; trying to acclimate my eyes. Leah stepped down after me, and Julie followed suit.

The guard's haunting words resounded in my head, and protective instinct took over me. A low growl emanated from my throat, and I sent a warning bark through the tunnel. My echo boomed off the stone walls, and the volume made me cringe a little. At least I knew any rapists would hear me, and perhaps be deterred from pursuing my girls.

"Shadow, please don't ever do that again," Leah whispered, wide-eyed.

Her hushed voice echoed eerily as well, and I heard Julie whimper a little bit. I shot her an irritated look, and growled, "I was only doing that for your protection, Leah. I want to scare those perverts back into the holes they crawled out of."

"So what do we do now?" Julie asked, oblivious to my explanation.

"Try to protect ourselves as best we can," Leah said slowly, before digging through her backpack.

I heard a distinctive _click_ and glanced up in surprise. Even in the dim light, the blade of the pocket-knife glinted brightly.

Julie gaped in horror at the weapon, and then stammered, "W-where did you get th-that, Lee?"

"Found it in Kelly's bag when I went through it," she muttered, before sighing, "I know it seems... drastic, but we have to be able to defend ourselves, right?"

I shifted my paws nervously, and tore my gaze away from the knife. It seemed so wrong to me, that a ten-year-old was forced to wield a weapon in order to stay safe.

"Well, you have a knife, what the heck am _I_ supposed to do?" Julie snorted.

Leah shot her a sheepish look, and then began digging through her bag. She smiled triumphantly, and then whipped out... a can of hairspray?

"You've got to be kidding me," Julie groaned.

"It was either that, or a tube of toothpaste," Leah chirped, before tossing Julie the can.

I chuckled to myself, despite the serious situation at hand.

"So what else?" Julie grumbled, turning the hairspray can around to attempt to read the instructions on the back.

"Well, I figure Shadow here will keep most people away," Leah said, before patting me on the head fondly, "but just in case, I'm going to send out Claire, Tyson, and Keon. Claire for the extra light, and all of them for protection."

"What about Dante and Kenya?" Julie asked as she pulled a flashlight from her bag, and continued reading the label on the back of the hairspray can.

"Kenya's too sweet to hurt a Wurmple, and a Psyduck isn't particularly threatening," Leah said with a sheepish grin.

Julie was about to answer, when a voice echoed from far down the tunnel. The words were too distorted to understand fully, but it was definitely a man's voice. My hackles raised once again, and I snarled maliciously while facing the direction the voice had came from. Leah quickly drew the three PokeBalls from her belt, and her Pokemon appeared in a flash of reddish-pink light.

Claire yawned and stretched her arms, before looking around with a bored expression. Keon looked down at his wrist, and then folded his arms across his chest in frustration. Tyson only blinked, to get adjusted to the dark.

"Claire, you will walk with us up front. Shadow, you stick with me. Keon, you take the left side. Tyson, the right."

So naturally, Tyson went to the left, because he was an idiot and didn't know what direction 'right' was, and Keon rolled his eyes before giving up and going to the right instead.

"Okay, so are we ready to go?"

"Wait a second," Julie mumbled, before fishing a PokeBall of her own out of her pocket.

"C'mon out, Tak," she whispered, before the tiny bird materialized.

He glanced around, yelped in fear, and fluttered up to her shoulder.

"Tak, I need you to use Miracle Sight every few minutes, okay? Let us know if anyone's following us."

The Natu nodded in understanding; so we began walking away from the staircase, and towards the impending darkness. The light that had filtered in from the top of the stairs slowly faded away, and soon Claire's tail-flame was the only source of visibility left.

"Where are we, Shadow?" Tak squeaked from where he was perched.

"I was wondering the same thing," Keon grumbled; absentmindedly rubbing his wrist brace.

"We're in some freakish tunnel, heading for Saffron City," I said with a sigh.

"Enlighten me, Shadow. Why the hell didn't we travel to Saffron above ground; like most normal people?" Claire asked me.

"Two reasons," I grunted, while overstepping a puddle of stagnant water, "Reason number one is, we are _far_ from normal. Reason number two? Well, let's just say some people are idiotic little bastards, who want to make sure our lives are a living hell."

She raised an eyebrow at me, and then shook her head in confusion. Leah stopped abruptly beside me, and I turned to look where she and Julie were.

"Son of a biscuit-eating Granbull," Julie said in awe.

The path branched off into three sections; all of them too dark to distinguish which way was the correct way to go.

"Well, what now?" Keon asked in frustration.

"Pretty lights..." Tyson giggled.

We all turned to look where he was pointing, and were surprised yet again. Two golden spheres of light danced eerily, side by side. There was a faint buzzing sound, before the two lights began zooming around in a figure-eight. I was enchanted by the lights, before shaking it off and glancing around.

Everyone was enthralled by the lights, and Tyson was drooling a bit. Sadly enough, I had come to expect no less from him.

The two lights drew nearer, and I began to get anxious. I snarled ferociously, and this seemed to rouse everyone from their trances. Claire's claws glowed blue, as she prepared a Dragon Claw attack. Keon took a defensive stance next to me, and I continued growling.

"Wait, don't attack, you guys!" Tak squawked from Julie's shoulder.

I turned to look at him, and saw that his eyes were glowing with psychic energy.

"It's just two Pokemon," muttered the Natu, before motioning toward them with a wing.

The lights danced ever nearer, and Leah looked at Julie in confusion.

"Do not attack us," came a sing-song voice from one of the mysterious lights, "We mean you no harm. We wish to help you find your way out of here."

I squinted to try and see the speaker, but I couldn't distinguish any features, other than the bright sphere of light.

"What are you, and why should we even trust you?" I barked, still apprehensive.

"What we are is of no concern to you," said a slightly deeper, male voice, "We provide guidance, and light the way for city-dwellers when they become lost in this tunnel."

The other, more feminine voice giggled sweetly, before saying, "Oh come now, Lucian. You make it sound like we're mystical beings, not simple Pokemon."

I shot Claire a questioning look, and she shrugged, before twirling her index finger next to her temple to show she thought they were both insane.

"We've established you two are Pokemon," Keon said in a controlled tone, "but you've yet to reveal what _species_ of Pokemon. Either of you care to shed some light on the subject?"

I heard a sarcastic snort off to the side, and we all turned to stare at Tyson.

"Tyson laugh at the irony," he chortled.

"What are you talking about, Tyson?" Tak chirped from Julie's shoulder.

Julie and Leah were talking about something in hushed whispers, but I successfully toned them out.

"When you dissect his atrocious grammar, he's saying that, indeed, we are bringers of light," said the male Pokemon.

His female friend giggled in agreement, and suddenly they stopped nearly a foot away from us. Claire turned her tail closer to them, and suddenly their features became visible.

"I am Lucian, a Volbeat. And this is my mate, Meira."

"I'm an Illumise!" she chirped, before twirling around in the air and posing, while Lucian shot her a withering look.

"Hahaha, you guys were scared of two bugs," Keon laughed weakly, with a crooked grin plastered on his face.

"Shut up, Keon. If you were a Machoke already, you would have pissed your little speedo-thingy," I growled playfully.

Claire and Tak snickered, while the Machop blushed profusely and began rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Looking back on it... that probably wasn't the nicest thing I could have said to him. I was many things back then... but _mature_ didn't quite make the list.

"Awh... look at how cute you are!" Julie squealed, before snatching Meira out of the air and hugging her lovingly, "And to think, we were about to have Claire torch you."

Meira screeched and zoomed over to Lucian, who patted her head and shot Julie a nasty look.

"Well... nice meeting you and all, but we really must be going," I barked, before pushing past everyone and beginning to walk down the tunnel to the right.

"Whoa, don't go that way!" screeched the Illumise.

"Why not?" I growled, before stopping and turning to face them, "That's the way you two came from."

The two firefly Pokemon shared a knowing look, before the Volbeat shook his head and sighed, "Master sends us to search for wayward wanderers."

"Master is a good man," Meira whispered.

A chill suddenly ran down my spine, and I glanced up at Leah, right as she looked down at me. Our eyes locked, and suddenly I knew we had shared something. A feeling of apprehension, and dread. Her eyes reflected back to me fear, and uncertainty. I stepped forward, forcing my tail to wag slowly. I wanted to comfort her; I had made a vow to Kelly to love and protect her younger sister. But I had to ask myself... what did _my_ eyes reveal to _her_?

Leah smiled a little, as if acknowledging my attempt at cheering her up, before digging through her bag and retrieving her Pokedex. She flipped it open, and pressed a few buttons before the device began chirping information.

_Illumise, the Firefly Pokemon. Swarms of Volbeat are attracted to the sweet aroma Illumise produce, and will follow an Illumise through the night sky, while drawing different patterns. This Pokémon is said to earn greater respect from its peers by composing more complex designs in the sky._

_Volbeat, the Firefly Pokemon. At night, Volbeat emits light from its tail. It communicates with others by adjusting the intensity and flashing of its tail-light. This Pokémon is highly attracted by the sweet aroma of Illumise._

Claire burst into a sudden fit of laughter, and everyone turned to look at her, though Lucian was glaring. Her mad cackling echoed down the tunnel, and I winced at the sharp sounds. When she had finally composed herself, the Charmeleon used a pearly-white claw to wipe a tear from her eye.

"Why are you laughing, Claire?" Tak asked, mimicking my own thoughts.

"I would like to know as well," Lucian growled through pursed lips.

"The Pokedex," Claire giggled, "it says Volbeat communicate by lighting up their asses!"

I chuckled myself, and even Meira seemed to be suppressing giggles. Leah and Julie exchanged confused expressions, before shrugging.

"Anyways," Leah began, "I have a bad feeling about these two."

"Why's that?" Julie asked. "They've made Claire laugh, and seem friendly enough. Besides, they're just lightning bugs. They look harmless."

"Think about it, Jules. Volbeat and Illumise are native to Hoenn. They _must_ have an owner. And what if their owner "

Julie's face paled, and she looked at them nervously.

Leah then asked me, "Shadow, can you find out about their owner? Let me know if we can trust them."

I turned to the pair, and Meira smiled convincingly at me. "You'll take us to the exit?" I barked, a warning growl rising in my throat.

Lucian nodded, "That is why we dwell here, in the tunnel. We will guide you away from the hermits who call the side tunnels their homes."

"So we _won't_be seeing any hobo-rapists?" Keon asked apprehensively.

Meira shot Lucian a worried glance, before sighing, "There is _one_ place; where all three of the tunnels meet. It's the center of the community, and there's no avoiding it. But when we get there, Master will protect us from harm. He will be there, waiting."

Well _that_certainly didn't do much to comfort me. In fact, it creeped me out a bit.

Lucian nodded at her words, before turning and floating farther down the tunnel. "If you wish to make it through, it would be wise to follow us."

I hesitated. The whole 'Master' thing was, to say the least, freaking me out a bit. Not only that, but that creepy feeling I had gotten from before was telling me it was a bad idea. But then, there was that naggy voice echoing in my head, that was relentlessly repeating the guard's words. And so, I found myself nodding to Leah, and following the pair of firefly Pokemon.

Unfortunately, it was too early to know whether that was a wise decision, or one I would soon come to regret.

* * *

**A/N:The names Lucian and Meira both mean 'bringers of light'. You just learn something new everyday, right? XD**

**I want to thank everyone who sent me messages, about the death of my Grandmother. They definitely brightened my day up whenever I would read one. **

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby****  
**


	60. Master of Disguise

**A/N: ReCap~ Shadow and company met an Illumise and a Volbeat who claimed they could help them find their way out of the Underground Path's tunnels. Both seemed nice... but looks can be deceiving.**

**A note to 'confused person': No, of course I wasn't happy when she passed away! I guess I worded that poorly last chapter; what I was trying to say is that it meant a lot to see people on this website taking time out of their busy schedules to send their condolences. It showed they cared, and brightened me up a little bit when everything else was sad. I hope this makes more sense, and sorry about the confusion the first time around. I'm not a heartless person, I swear! :)**

**Okay, on to the chapter~ **

* * *

Chapter Sixty: 

Master of Disguise

I kept my eyes locked on Meira and Lucian, still not fully trusting them. So many questions surrounded me, that I had to keep shaking my head to clear my thoughts. I had to stay focused, and alert. If this master-guy was a creep, I would have to prepare to kill my first human. And I can't say the idea thrilled me.

But when I turned back to see Leah, clutching her sister's knife and looking around wide-eyed, I knew deep down I would protect her and the others at any cost.

We had been following Meira and Lucian for a few minutes, and I had noticed the tunnel becoming a little less dark every few feet. I thought I heard voices, but then again, it may have just been my imagination. Suddenly, the two firefly Pokemon abruptly stopped, and bowed their heads out of respect.

I saw a flicker of movement in the dark up ahead, and my fur immediately bristled. A hunched-over figure scuttled into view, and I caught my first glimpse of the man that would escort us through the rest of the tunnel.

His skin was withered and pale; almost translucent. His fingernails were long, unkept, and yellowed. A long, grey, stained beard hung from his chin; the bushy facial hair hiding his mouth from view. He leaned most of his weight on a crooked wooden cane, and he wore a dirty, raggedy tunic. But none of these features stood out as much as his eyes.

They were cold, and steel-grey. His gaze was intense, and never-wavering as his eyes bored into mine.

"Who are you?" Leah breathed the question, but even that slight noise made me jump in surprise.

Lucian turned to me, eyes wide with horror, "Silence your human! The Master does not like to be spoken to!"

But his warning went unheeded, since the two girls couldn't understand Pokemon speech. Julie, being her usual stupid self and thinking the old man was just hard of hearing, cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled at the top of her lungs, "WHO _ARE _YOU!?"

Her booming voice echoed off the tunnel walls, and everyone winced at the painful volume. Expecting the worst from the elderly man, I flattened my ears and snarled; fur bristling as I prepared to fend him off. Instead, his mustache twitched in what I guess was amusement, before turning away from us and slowly limping down the tunnel.

I stopped snarling and lifted my ears slightly.

"If you value your lives, you will follow closely and be silent," rasped the hunched figure, before continuing into the dark. Lucian and Meira followed, as if in a trance.

"That dude is creepy," Keon whispered.

"Yeah... but he may be our only hope to make it out of here," Claire growled, before beginning to walk forward.

I grunted and leapt in front of her, and she glared at me. "Get out of the way, Shadow."

"No," I growled, "I'm not going to have anyone get hurt. Stay behind me."

I began to stalk off after the man, when I felt a clawed paw grip my tail tightly.

"You don't always have to be the hero, Shadow," Claire said softly, before moving to my left side and matching her footsteps with mine as we advanced forward. I hesitated, before nodding slightly and allowing her to remain at my side.

"Tak, what do you see?" I called over my shoulder.

His eyes faintly glowed, before he gulped and said, "Uh... you're not going to like this, Shadow."

The man had stopped in the middle of a gigantic room, and had both of his hands held upward proudly, as he grinned wickedly at us. Claire grabbed her tail and pulled it around in front of her, allowing it to lighten the room a little more.

"Holy shit," breathed Keon.

There were about twelve men surrounding us, staring with curious eyes and wringing their hands compulsively. The elderly man in front of us snapped his brittle fingers, and Meira and Lucian darted to either side of our group, warily staring back at the ravenous, lustful men.

I glanced on either side of me, and noticed Keon's fist crackling with electricity, and Claire's claws glowing an electric-blue as they prepared a Thunder Punch and Dragon Claw, respectively. And then, there was Tyson behind me, who had taken his battle stance and was ready to utilize a Rock Slide immediately. As for myself, I felt the familiar tickling cold creep up my throat as I readied a Dark Pulse.

Our leader, the 'Master', slowly continued forward. Leah and Julie clung to each other, whimpering as the men eyed them hungrily. One man sprang forward suddenly, and ran towards Julie with crazed eyes. Before any of us could react, a purple blur flashed past us, and suddenly the old man was standing directly in front of our assailant.

The 'Master' grinned wickedly, before extending a purple, clawed hand that glowed with red energy, and grasping the man's shoulder. Caught in a silent scream, the crazed hermit fell to the ground, and began twitching in horrific spasms as his eyes rolled back in his head. The elderly man chuckled darkly, before licking his lips and returning to the front of our procession.

The rest of the small underground community were frightened by the hermit's fate, and scrambled back down the connecting tunnels they had come from. I shuddered, and turned back to look at Leah and Julie. Both were silently sobbing, and looked completely scared to death.

"What the hell was that?" I mumbled warily under my breath as we continued forward.

"Master just saved your life," Meira squeaked weakly from our right side.

"The fuck he did," Claire snarled, "we could have taken that guy down wi-"

"Be grateful!" Lucian hissed, his tenacity matching that of the much larger fire-lizard.

Claire hardened her expression and allowed acrid smoke to curl out from her flared nostrils, but she held her tongue. I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. After seeing the elderly man take down that much younger man, Claire's smart-ass attitude was the last thing we needed to upset him. I didn't know what those supernatural powers of his were, but I didn't want to get on his bad side.

The 'Master' seemed content, and smiled smugly before leading us out of the large room, back down yet another narrow tunnel. I remember thanking Mew I wasn't claustrophobic, or else I might have been freaking out more than I was. Which, for the record, was a lot.

I'm not even sure Leah and Julie were coherent, at that point. After we re-entered the narrow tunnel, everything else seems to be a bit of a blur. The adrenaline rush, coupled with innate fear, was making it hard to focus on anything other than picking up your paws and moving onward. But I remember seeing a light up ahead, my hopes rising a little, before I heard a screech behind me.

Tyson, Claire, Keon and I whirled to face the shrill sound, and I remember wondering how the old man had gotten to the back of our group without any of us knowing. While our attention was on him, Meira and Lucian snuck up to the front, completely unnoticed.

I pushed past my teammates, to see Leah slumped on the ground. Julie screamed again, and before I could collect my thoughts enough to react, the man's cold, calculating eyes turned a bit triangular in shape, before glowing green around the edges. Julie swayed, but before she had a chance to hit the ground, Tyson reached out and caught her, while Keon darted in with a glowing fist.

I recognized the Mega Punch a mere second before it connected with the man's stomach. I half expected the man's fragile body to crumple beneath the raw power Keon exhibited, but the man simply laughed darkly as Keon's fist passed harmlessly through his torso. Keon's look of pure hatred turned to one of fear as he yanked his fist from the man's stomach and stumbled backward.

"You cannot touch me," hissed the man, spite coursing through his voice.

"I beg to differ," Claire snarled, before lunging at him with her claws glowing blue.

The man swung his cane with remarkable momentum, catching her in the chest. Claire slammed into the stone tunnel wall, where she yelped before slithering to the ground and remaining motionless.

"Claire!" Keon screamed, before running to her side.

I was preoccupied with Leah and Julie, whom Tak informed me were in fact not dead, but simply unconscious.

"You hurt Tyson's friends!" yelled the Cranidos, before charging at the man in a Headbutt attack.

The man smirked as Tyson passed right through him, and crashed into the stone wall of the tunnel. Unfazed, Tyson rose to his feet and charged again, only to pass through the man once more and nearly collide with me.

"Who are you?" I barked, my voice cracking a bit as I realized there was no way to flee. Even if we could get past him, Leah and Julie were dead-weights. Not only that, but Claire...

I shook myself to keep from rushing to her side. Keon would help her. I had to keep my eyes on the man, and try to figure out a way to defeat him.

There was obviously something supernatural about him. We couldn't hit him with attacks, and he had amazing strength for someone that old. As I studied him with cold, calculating eyes, his withered face broke into a grin.

"I am the one that feeds on the souls of the wayward wanderers who accumulate here. I induce a deep slumber, and then feast on their dreams, until their demise."

I watched in horror as the man began twitching uncontrollably, though his voice remained steady. The body of the old man finally crumpled to the floor, but it was what was remaining that answered so many of my questions.

It was a large purple blob of gas, with two disembodied, clawed hands, that had a faint red hue surrounding them. I glared hatefully at the Haunter, and suddenly, it all made sense to me. The normal-type moves Keon and Tyson had used didn't effect a ghost-type, such as a Haunter. Claire's Dragon Claw would have done a considerable amount, though, which was why he had to deflect her with his cane. He had probably used Hypnosis to knock-out Leah and Julie, and it explained why he was able to understand me. He was a Pokemon, too.

Knowing that he was _just_ another Pokemon gave me courage. I knew how to beat him.

"Aren't you curious as to how I do it?" asked the Haunter, before grinning insanely and licking its lips. "I lull them to sleep, and then lick them. One time is all it takes, and _gently_. I feed off their life-forces, and drain them of every scrap. Then, I occupy the body, and use it to lure more unsuspecting people here."

Without taking my eyes off the Haunter, I snarled, "Meira, Lucian, how could you!? We _trusted_ you!"

"Do not blame them for your own mistakes, Mightyena," chided the Haunter, "I claimed the life of their trainer five years ago. In exchange for their lives, they became my servants; luring my prey to me-"

"KWAAHHH!"

My jaw dropped as Tak, the shy little Natu, barreled forward and slammed into the Haunter.

"Don't you ever touch my human again!" he squealed after executing his Zen-Headbutt.

The Haunter, stunned, took a moment to compose himself, but that was all it took for me to spring into action. I summoned and Dark Pulse, and sent the blast of dark energy into the ghoul's face. The Haunter screeched in pain, from the repetitive super-effective moves.

I was about to smile smugly to myself, when a gust of Silver Wind hit me in the back of the head. Gasping at the super-effective move, I shuddered and felt my legs crumble beneath me. I weakly turned to see Meira and Lucian staring coldly at us.

"Face it," Lucian said in a monotonous tone, "there is no use in fighting back."

"You sick son-of-a-bitch," Keon muttered, as the Haunter leaned in to lick Julie.

"Die, mother-fucker," growled a voice, before a torrent of fire engulfed the floating ghost.

The Haunter screeched in pain, while I looked over at Claire jubilantly. She lay in a crumpled pile at the base of the wall, propped up on an elbow, and grinning weakly at me before giving me a thumbs-up.

Tyson, Keon, Tak, and I sprung into action. Chunks of rock broke off the stone walls of the tunnel, before being flung at the two deceiving firefly Pokemon by Tyson. Keon followed up with a Thunder Punch on Lucian, whilst Claire fired a weak Flamethrower at Meira from where she lay.

While they took down the pair, I glared at the Haunter, before firing another Dark Pulse. I saw a flutter of movement on my right, before the Haunter recoiled from another Zen-Headbutt. I heard a yelp from behind me, though, and made the vital mistake of turning away from the Haunter to see who had been injured.

Tak yelled something, but it was lost in my yelp of pain as a Thunderbolt slammed into my back. I began convulsing immediately; pain surging through me as my muscles cramped up from the electricity. I collapsed to the cold stone floor, and looked over to Leah and Julie sadly.

But just as I thought we were down for the count, I saw Tyson leap over me, jaws snapping angrily, before hurling huge boulders at the ghost that was only inches from Leah's face. Another jet of flames followed, and then Keon used Ice Punch.

The Haunter gasped in agony, before wavering in mid-air. But before it had a chance to recover, Tak zoomed in with a last Zen-Headbutt, and finished it off. The Haunter descended to the floor, and then slid through it, disappearing from our view. I breathed out a sigh of relief. Come to think of it, I had been doing that quite often.

"See, Shadow?" Claire panted from where she was trying to stand, "You can't always be the hero."

"Be careful, Claire. You're hurt," Keon said tenderly, before nimbly jumping to her side and helping to prop her up.

"I can take care of myself," she snapped as she shrugged off his assistance, before gritting her teeth and rising to her feet.

I rose to my feet irritably as well, before limping over to the two unmoving forms that were Meira and Lucian. Their tiny bodies were charred, and blood splattered the ground.

"They're dead," I said hoarsely, my voice cracking with emotion.

"What were we supposed to do, dude?" Tyson asked as he walked up behind me. I was too out-of-it to even notice he had stopped speaking in third-person.

"They're dead," I repeated, softer this time.

"Shadow, we had to protect each other. Their minds were warped, and they were miserable under that Haunter's control," said Keon bitterly.

My heart throbbed in my chest as I looked at the two corpses. To you, they may have only been corrupt bugs. But to me... they were people.

"Try not to look at them, Shadow," Tak cooed from where he had perched on my head; clumps of my fur wrenched in his tiny talons.

I tore my eyes away, but the image remained; burned into my brain like a white-hot iron.

"So... what the hell do we do now?" grunted Claire.

I did not answer her. I knew I should have been grateful, but right then I felt like an absolute failure. I had fallen in combat much too easily. If the others hadn't been out of their PokeBalls... I didn't even want to think of what might have happened.

"Well, there's still a bunch of crazies in this tunnel," Keon said, taking authority when I was too depressed to do so. He chuckled a little, before adding thoughtfully, "And I'm not just talking about us."

Claire and Tyson chuckled a bit, while Tak whistled his laughter like the bird he was.

"So, let's get 'em outta here," Tyson drawled, causing us all to glance up at him hopefully.

"You've stopped speaking in third-person!" Tak chirped happily.

The Cranidos blushed a little, and rolled his eyes. I heard a grunt, and turned to see Keon with Leah draped over one shoulder and Julie over the next.

"Uh... are you sure you can handle carrying them both?" Claire asked sheepishly.

"Well, you're about to fall over you're hurt so bad, Tyson has stubs for arms, Tak's the size of a pea, and Shadow doesn't have hands. Looks like the responsibility falls on... my _shoulders_!"

The strange little Machop snorted his laughter, while Claire and Tyson rolled their eyes.

"For the record, that was the worst pun I've ever heard," Tak chirped, before perching on Keon's head crest as he carried the two unconscious girls past the bodies of Meira and Lucian and towards the end of the tunnel. Tyson grabbed Leah and Julie's bags, and struggled to keep from dropping them.

"Should we let Kenya, Dante, and Shelley out?" Keon asked from up ahead, "They have a right to know what happened."

"We can tell them later," I said curtly, "the last thing we need is Dante over-analyzing things, Shelley cussing us out, and Kenya asking questions like crazy."

Everyone seemed to agree- except Tak, of course, who pined for his mate- with this, so we trudged forward. Claire limped past me, and I paused mid-step. Turning around, I padded silently over to the two deceased Firefly Pokemon, and whispered an apology to them both. Then, without further hesitation, I trotted along behind the rest of our mismatched gang.

Out of the tunnel, and into the evening twilight.

* * *

Nurse Joy popped her bubble gum loudly, causing the trainers sprawled out in the Vermilion City Pokemon Center to flinch. The only other sound in the room was the steady bleeping of a machine in the back room.

Joy leaned back in her desk chair in a rather bored manner; drumming her fingernails on the cold glass counter top. It had been a long, uneventful day. She glanced hopefully up at the clock, and then scowled. What had seemed like hours, had in reality been about three minutes.

Joy sighed heavily, before silently wishing it was 10:00 PM already. That was the curfew, and at that time she could shoo the lousy trainers off to their rooms and catch some much-needed sleep herself.

Working in a newbie-trainer area, she never saw any real action. Just treating Pidgey and the occasional Sandshrew that had gotten a minor scratch in a beginner battle. Not that she wished for more extensive injuries... She just wanted a challenge once in a while to break the monotony.

Giving up, she lay her head in her arms and allowed herself to doze. When a Chansey-orderly ran to her and tugged at her sleeve, Joy grumbled and squeezed her eyes shut tighter. That is, until she heard the screams.

Joy's eyes snapped open, to see a flurry of trainers darting past her in a race to get to their rooms. But, in the confusion, she couldn't see what they were running from. Her heart racing, Joy reached in the bottom drawer of her desk and gripped the cold metal handle of her gun; her eyes glued on the automatic sliding glass doors. When she saw what all the fuss was about, she let out a tiny gasp of surprise.

The Mightyena that limped in was massive, and seemed much larger than the few she had seen when she had toured Hoenn three years before. Claws clacking on the floor, the mighty wolf-like creature stepped in and sniffed the air curiously, before turning to lock eyes with her.

Despite his intimidating appearance, his red and yellow eyes were gentle, if not a bit remorseful. She realized he must be tame, and lifted her hand from her gun.

"Hey there, big fella," she crooned, "are you lost?"

The Mightyena's ears twitched in what appeared to be amusement, before he waved his tail in a friendly manner and turned to walk out the door. Nurse Joy, confused, got up to pursue him. He seemed docile enough, and a Pokemon that powerful _must _belong to someone who greatly missed him.

But before she could even get around the counter, she got her second surprise of the night.

Joy clutched her chest as the proud Mightyena strolled back in and shot her a pleading look; followed by a wounded Charmeleon, a Cranidos carrying two backpacks, and a Machop with a Natu perched on his head; not to mention the two bedraggled, unconscious girls slung over his shoulders. She frowned as she noticed the brace on his left wrist.

Joy yelled for her Chansey orderlies, who were next to her in a matter of seconds with two stretchers. The Machop grunted a bit as he unloaded the two girls, before grinning awkwardly at Joy and waving shyly. The Charmeleon whacked him with the back of her clawed hand, before grumbling the Pokemon-equivalent of curse-words.

Joy knelt next to the massive black and silver wolf, who gazed at her with sorrowful eyes.

"Your trainer will be fine," she assured him, before scratching him behind the ears gently.

His tense body relaxed a bit under her soothing touch and comforting words, and she smiled as his tail thumped the ground contentedly.

"C'mon, let's get you guys all fixed up," Joy said sweetly, before standing up and leading the odd little group behind the counter.

As she placed each of them on the healing-machines, she found herself extremely curious.

"I have to wonder, big fella, what you've gone through," she murmured to the Mightyena sheepishly as he went under the machine.

Of course, she received no answer, but as the Mightyena disappeared from view, she thought she saw him wink at her, as if to tell her she _really_ didn't want to know.

* * *

**A/N: You may have noticed updates are coming a _lot_slower than they used to be. Well... all I can do is apologize. I've decided that I would rather take a longer amount of time and produce quality chapters, so I don't end up hating them. Yes, I'm a perfectionist. So bite me. XD**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	61. To Remember

**A/N:ReCap- We figured out that the 'Master' of the Underground Path was a Haunter, after he attempted to suck the souls out of Leah and Julie. The two, unconscious, were then carried to the nearest Pokemon Center. And that's where we pick back up.**

**I know the majority of you probably skip the A/N at the bottom of the page, but this time, would you mind reading it? It's got some important info, refering to when the next update will be. Thanks.**

* * *

Chapter Sixty-One:

To Remember

She stirred awake, and moaned a little bit before shielding her eyes from the persistent sunlight that streamed in the window. Reluctant to leave the dream she had been having, the young girl grumbled a bit, and pulled the thick white blankets over her head. Her warm, safe cocoon shielded her from the light, but it could not save her from her own thoughts.

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, trying to return to her dream, when realization suddenly hit her, and her eyes snapped open. She flailed to unravel her cocoon, before lying there and letting her eyes flick back and forth, taking in her surroundings. She sat upright, and immediately gasped a little and rubbed at the base of her neck, where a dull throb had settled.

_What in the world happened? And where am I?_

These were only two of the hundreds of questions that swirled in her head, as she unsteadily rose from the bed and tip-toed over to the mirror, trying desperately to remember what events had led up to this. Her coffee-colored hair had fallen out of the usual high ponytail, and now hung in damp, limp strands over her face.

She was still dressed in her usual trainer's outfit; though her baby-blue tank top was wrinkled and she had a cut on her left knee.

_Why can't I remember anything?_

Her delicate fingers flew suddenly to her belt, as she checked to be certain her PokeBalls were there. Coming to her senses, she immediately thought of Julie, and stumbled to the door. Cautiously, she cracked it open, and stepped into the hallway. She recognized the broad counter instantly, and breathed out a sigh of relief.

_Okay... I'm in a Pokemon Center. That much I DO know._

"Excuse me," Leah squeaked.

The Nurse Joy popped a giant pink bubble as she glanced up, before grinning. "Well, look who decided to wake up. How are ya feeling, hun?"

"Confused," said Leah slowly, before leaning up against the counter and glancing around apprehensively. One glance at the wall clock told her it was barely 6:30 AM, and that certainly explained why she was the only person in the lobby.

"I can assure you I'm just as confused as you are," Joy said, staring at the weary young girl with a questioning expression, "Are you telling me you don't remember anything from last night?"

"I... yeah. I mean, no, I don't..." Leah stammered, brow furrowed, "Remember, that is."

She felt her eyes begin to burn with tears a little bit, and Joy sighed a little, before moving her hand across the counter to rest it on the young girl's shoulder.

"Calm down," she said softly, "I have an idea. Why don't you tell me everything you _do _remember, and then I'll tell you everything _I_ know. Together, we can fill in the blanks."

Leah nodded her head mechanically in agreement, before fidgeting a little on the bar-stool.

"Well, I remember confronting the guard," Leah said uncertainly, "He wouldn't let us through because he was _thirsty_. Of all things." She rubbed the back of her neck nervously, and the Joy urged her to continue. "Shadow sort of scared him, by jumping up and snatching his stupid porn magazine from his hands, before ripping it to shreds."

"And Shadow is...?" asked the Nurse Joy, though she had a good idea.

"My Mightyena," Leah whispered.

She glanced around frantically, and then said in a shaky voice, "He should have been out of his PokeBall! I never put him in it, he hates it so much..."

"Tell me about it," snorted the Nurse Joy. "But your Mightyena is fine, I can assure you. Along with the Charmeleon, Machop, Cranidos, and Natu-"

"You didn't see a Psyduck, and a Luxio? Or Julie and a Turtwig?" Leah asked frantically.

"Your human friend was the only other person I saw," Joy said patiently. "Perhaps the other three are just in their PokeBalls?"

Leah's hands flew to her belt, but Joy stopped her.

"Calm yourself," she said firmly, "Focus on remembering, first. Then we can figure everything else out. Okay?"

Leah gulped, but nodded compliantly. "Okay. So after Shadow tore up the magazine, we went somewhere... Oh, that's right. The guard told us to go through the Underground Path, so we could get to Saffron City." The young girl suddenly went pale, and she began to feel light-headed. "That m-man said, there were r-rapists down there," Leah stammered, her breath coming in short gasps, "You d-don't think-"

"No no, sweetie, we checked you over thoroughly," Joy said, after catching on, "I can assure you that didn't happen. But obviously something bad _did_ happen when you were down there. Is that all you remember?"

"Yes, I think so," Leah said softly, though her breathing had returned to normal as relief washed over her. "We _are_ in Saffron City, right?"

Nurse Joy blinked, and then shook her head. "No, this is Vermilion City. We're just south of Saffron."

Leah frowned, but nodded. Obviously the guard had been mistaken.

"You have some amazing Pokemon, young lady," chuckled the red-haired woman.

Leah smiled weakly, "Yes ma'am, I know."

"But did you realize they carried you and your friend all of the way out of the tunnel, and then another mile just to get you to the Pokemon Center?"

"They did?" Leah asked in surprise. When Joy nodded in affirmation, Leah leaned back in her chair and grinned. "Wow. They truly _are_ amazing, aren't they? Sometimes I wonder if I'm worthy of Pokemon like them-"

"Sweetie, you have self-esteem issues," huffed the Nurse Joy, "If you hadn't given those Pokemon a reason to love you, they would have up and left you to rot in that tunnel."

The young girl mulled this over, and Joy sighed heavily. "Speaking of your Pokemon, I had to put them in the PC, because I didn't know who belonged to who. And you might want to let them out. Your Mightyena... Shadow, was it? He went berserk when I tried to return him."

Leah blushed a little, before stiffly arising to do just that. But before she did, she hesitated, and then turned sharply turning on her heels.

"Hey, thanks. You know, you're really good at this whole comforting thing. Maybe you should've been a psychiatrist," Leah joked.

Joy snorted, before stretching in her chair, "You know, when you're born into the Joy family tree, you don't exactly have much of a choice as to what you do. I wanted to be a Pokemon Trainer, myself. But, when you've got the last name 'Joy', you get your hair dyed red -if it isn't naturally red already- and plastic surgery so you look identical to the rest of your sisters."

Leah's eyes bulged, but the Nurse Joy simply laughed, "What, you thought we were all born naturally identical, and _chose_ to run Pokemon Centers?"

"I... guess I never really questioned it," Leah muttered thoughtfully, while carefully studying the cynical woman. "One more question. Are you all named Joy?"

"Joy is the mutual last name. Since we're all identical, we have to have _some _sort of distinction from one another. My first name is Linda," she replied, with a mischievous look on her face.

"... Okay, information overload. I think I'm going to go let out my Pokemon out, and then go lay down for awhile," Leah muttered.

But before she could even begin to walk to the PC, Leah heard a whimper behind her. She turned slightly to see Julie glancing around the room apprehensively, before brightening when she laid her eyes on Leah.

"Lee! I'm so confused. Where are we, and why can't I remember anything?"

Leah resisted the urge to groan as she sat back down, and helped Linda Joy explain their situation. Her Pokemon would have to wait.

* * *

I bet you're sick and tired of me ranting about how much I _hate _PokeBalls. Sure, they're convenient, but I still _loathe_ them, with the burning passion of ten-thousand hot suns. In fact, the only thing I hate more is being in the PC box.

Since Nurse Joy hadn't known which PokeBall was mine, she had to put me inside a computer, using a temporary PokeBall. Not that I had surrendered easily. I thrashed, snarled, and tried to run away, but in the end I found myself being sucked into a device even more crazy-inducing than the PokeBall.

When you're sucked into a PokeBall, you go nuts because it is dead silent, and there's nothing there to see, or feel, or smell, or taste. But a PC box? Everything is the same, except the voices. Hundreds of voices, all swirling around you all ghost-like. Slivers of conversations float around you eerily, causing your non-existent head to spin.

Because of this, I was never happier than when I felt my body breaking up into trillions of particles, and then reassembling as I appeared on the Pokemon Center floor.

I blinked to clear the lingering voices from my thoughts, and then worriedly trotted to Leah, taking in her scent to confirm she was alright. When I had circled her twice and found her okay, I wagged my tail hard and thrust my head into her calf affectionately. Giggling, she squatted on her knees and rubbed me behind the ears.

"I'm okay, big guy," Leah chuckled.

"Well you didn't exactly look too great to me, last time I saw you," I snorted.

"Your little reunion is cute and all, but I want to let my babies out, too," Julie whined, with Shelley's PokeBall already in her hand.

"Go on, let them out," Nurse Joy said, "as long as none of them are too destructive."

She pointedly shot me a glare, and I shrank back from her stern expression. So, I had knocked a potted flower off the counter in my crazed scramble away from the temporary PokeBall. And... _maybe_I had fired a Dark Pulse at a Chansey who cornered me. Dumb thing shouldn't have tried to subdue me with an Egg Bomb...

"Sorry about him," Leah mumbled, "he's a big baby when it comes to PokeBalls."

"Am not," I sniffed, "now hurry up and let the others out. Kenya's probably got enough pent-up energy to power Jubilife City, by now."

Leah got the jeist of it, and grabbed her other five PokeBalls, before tossing them into the air. I blinked at the bright flash of light, before a blue blur zipped over to me and collided with my side. I grunted as Kenya stumbled backwards, tail wagging wildly though she was feline in origin.

"Uncle Shadow! Uncle Shadow!" she squealed, before darting back in and rubbing my shoulder affectionately.

I stiffened a bit, but then relaxed and wrapped a foreleg around her, pulling her into a hug. Truth be told, I had missed the little Luxio. I heard Tak squawk happily from behind me; no doubt being reunited with Shelley. Kenya smiled brightly at me, before bounding over to tell Tyson how much she had missed him, as well. I sighed, before turning around to see Dante staring at me questioningly.

"Where are we, how did we get here, and how long have I been in that blasted PokeBall?"

Rolling my eyes, I fell into step behind Leah and Julie, who were walking towards our newly rented room. "Good to see you too, Dante."

~o0o~

An hour and one explanation later, we were sprawled out in the musty Pokemon Center room. Julie was blankly staring at the television, watching some outdated cartoon, while Leah was in the lobby; calling to check in with her parents. I was laying stretched out on the bed, with Kenya curled up next to me, snoozing. Shelley had claimed the armchair, and Tak was perched on her headleaf. Tyson was sitting on the floor, leaning up against the chair, and Claire occupied the rug with Keon and Dante on either side.

Leah, still a bit traumatized by her last encounter with the outside world, had decided to take the day off. Tomorrow, we would explore Vermilion, and challenge the Gym. But for now, we were content to relax in the safety of the rental room, and continue our prolonged game of 'truth'.

"I've got a good one," said Tyson, "If you could have any superpower-"

He yelped as one of Shelley's vines smacked him across the snout.

"That's the lamest one ever," Shelley snarled, "Besides, it was my turn. Dumb bastard."

Kenya twitched in her sleep beside me, and I slowly edged away from her. Not that I didn't like her company, but she had been extremely clingy after finding out we had all almost died. She moaned in her sleep, and then snuggled up even closer to me. I sighed heavily, but let her be.

"You have a serious attitude problem, Shelley," Keon commented, before ducking to narrowly avoid a Razor Leaf barrage.

"Bite me," snarled the Turtwig, before clearing her throat. "What is your greatest fear?"

"Why, losing my intelligence, of course," Dante snorted. I groaned, and Keon smacked his forehead and drug his hand slowly down his face in exasperation. Dante, oblivious, continued, "What else is there to fear? Death is inevitable, and-"

"Abandonment!" Keon said loudly, cutting off the Psyduck who was getting ready for one of his famous ranting sessions, "I'm afraid Leah will, erm, decide to quit training, and I'll be alone. Or, something along those lines."

"I'm with Keon," Claire agreed with a slight nod. Keon brightened up at this, but she growled, "Just because I agree with you on one little thing, doesn't automatically make me fall in love with you. Don't read too much into it."

He grinned sheepishly, and shrugged before leaning back against the wall.

"For obvious reasons, I'm afraid of trains," I barked; getting a chuckle out of everyone surrounding me.

In truth, I really wasn't very afraid of trains. Odds were, I would never get hit by another one. My _actual_ worst fear, was losing the ones I loved. But hell, that sounded corny. And back then, sounding like an emotional wimp was nearly as bad as having my body mutilated by a freight train.

"I'm afraid of psychotic, bitchy Turtwigs who lash out without warning," grumbled Tyson spitefully.

Shelley growled, "Watch it, rocks-for-brains. Or I swear to Mew, I'll rip your guts out and skip rope with your small intestine, and then I'll-"

"As I'm sure you all know," Tak interjected shrilly, to distract everyone from the tension, "My greatest fear is that I'll be eaten."

Shelley still glared down at Tyson, but seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"Shelley, might we ask what _you_ fear most?" Dante asked curiously.

"No, you may not," she hissed, eyes still boring into the back of Tyson's head.

"What? That's _stupid._ You can't ask _us_question, and then not answer it yourself!" scolded the Cranidos.

Keon let out a low whistle, while Claire and Dante shook their heads in disbelief. Kenya snored in her sleep, Tak covered his eyes with his wings, and I sucked in a long breath. Tyson was either was either really brave, had a death wish, or was just _really_ stupid. Though I'd readily place a bet on the latter.

Shelley narrowed her eyes hatefully, but surprisingly said nothing. In fact, she ignored us, and turned to look out the window, where sunlight was streaming in.

I was just about to suggest the next topic in hope of easing the rising tension, when Leah burst through the door, with a grim look on her face. She sighed heavily, and plopped down on the bed next to Kenya and I, stroking my back absentmindedly.

"That was awful," she groaned.

"Huh," Julie grunted, her gaze never wavering from the TV screen.

"My parents have been so weird since Kelly died, you know? They keep trying to convince me to come home. I know they're worried, but... I love this too much. After being cooped up in Azalea Town for so long, this freedom is so refreshing. I wish they understood."

"Uh huh."

Getting fed up with Julie's lack of attention, Leah swiftly got up off the bed, and unplugged the TV. Julie blinked slowly, before looking up at Leah and scowling.

"Hey! I was just getting to the good part!"

"Sorry, but I needed to get your attention for five seconds, to tell you that I'm taking my Pokemon out to explore Vermilion, and maybe do a little training. You can either come along, or sit on your ass the rest of the day and watch the mind-numbing television."

With that, Leah plugged the TV back in, and motioned to us to follow her out the door. We all slowly rose to our feet, stretched, and stiffly walked after her. Tak fluttered over to Julie and chirped hopefully, while Shelley scurried up the side of the bed.

"I think I'll just-"

When Julie had reached for the remote to turn the TV back on, Shelley narrowed her eyes and snatched the device up in her powerful jaws. With a single crunching sound, the remote snapped in half. Julie gaped at her violent Turtwig, who grinned triumphantly right back at her. Tak stared after her, shuddered, and then swooped down to perch on her headleaf.

Julie glanced down at the destroyed remote, and that was all the motivation she needed to grab her bag, and go running after her friend.

* * *

**A/N:Um, yeah, so this was kind of a let-down after the last chapter, quality-wise. Not only that, but it took forever to write. Sorry, but that's kind of how it's going to before the next month or two. I'm leaving for a four-day choir trip out of state on Wednesday, and I won't be back until Saturday. It's out-of-state, so don't expect updates, or replies during that four-day period. Then, after that is a huge music contest, and I'll be spending my time practicing, not typing. :/ I want to go back to State this year! **

**Oh, right, one more thing. There's a poll on my profile I'd really appreciate your vote on. Unlike the others, which are kind of pointless, this one is important. At least, to me, it is.**

**... That got long. Sorry. **

**~Shelby**


	62. Mistakes to Learn From

****

A/N: ReCap~ It was a filler chapter. Leah and Julie woke up, we found out how much they remembered, found out the secrets behind Nurse Joys, the Pokemon continued their game of 'truth', Shelley destroyed a TV remote, and we left off as they went to explore Vermilion City.

**Also... ten reviews away from 300! Wow, never thought I'd come _close_ to getting that many. Thanks, you guys, really. I can't tell you how happy it makes me. :)**

* * *

Chapter 62:

Mistakes to Learn From

Vermilion City is actually quite small, as we soon found out. Made up of mostly residential areas; the only points of interest were the PokeMart, the docks to the south of the city, and of course the Pokemon Gym. After ambling around the PokeMart, gawking at items we couldn't afford, we decided to head to the docks.

I inhaled deeply, allowing the crisp smell of seawater to overcome me. A flock of Wingull cawed as they drifted overhead, as gusts of wind allowed them to glide through the bright blue sky. It was hard to believe I had been here once before, but with Wes and Grace. It seemed like years had passed.

Back then, the city had seemed so unappealing; the sounds dulled, the wind stinging my eyes, and the sky depressingly grey. I realized then, with a small sense of triumph, that I was finally coping. I knew I could continue life without Kelly, even though I didn't want to. I knew I was going to be okay. But, then again, maybe I had known all along...

Leah and Julie walked along the docks, holding up chunks of Oran berries they had found, to the passing Wingull. They giggled as the birds swooped and easily snatched the food from them, and I lay down to watch.

I stretched out on the sandy ground and allowed the sun to warm my sleek black and silver fur. The days had been becoming cooler, and more tolerable. I figured it was because we were so close to the sea, but it never occurred to me that the seasons were changing. If I had taken the time to glance at the trees bordering the city, I would have noticed the slightest tinge in the color of the leaves; indicating autumn was just around the corner. But I was too busy reminiscing to think of that.

Where Kenya, Shelley, Tak, and Tyson were playing tag, was almost the exact spot I had evolved. Claire was snoozing in the shade of a nearby tree, while Keon leaned up against it, standing over her smiling softly. And then there was Dante, who was reading an informational sign on the history of Vermilion City.

I glanced down at my massive paws and smiled faintly. Of course I was able to cope. So many blessings, so many memories, and so many more people to love surrounded me.

"Leah, I'm getting bored," Julie sighed as she leaned over the dock railing.

They had long since ran out of Oran berries, and were now watching as a massive ship titled the_ S.S Anne_ pulled out of the port. Leah mumbled something, and I lazily tilted my ears forward to catch their conversation.

"Why don't you just challenge the Gym today, Lee? That'll kill some time, and then tomorrow we can be out of here. I hear it's pretty far to Lavender Town."

"Lavender Town," Leah repeated slowly as she watched a fisherman reel in a small Goldeen. Dissatisfied, he threw it back, and cast his line once again. "What ever happened to going to Saffron City?"

Julie flopped down in the sandy grass; sitting cross-legged with her head resting against the wooden post.

"Sorry Lee, but I'm _not_ going through the Underground Path again, and Lavender Town is the next closest sign of civilization besides Saffron. Maybe there's a Gym Leader there, who knows? But right now, you need to quit changing the subject, and go challenge Lt. Surge."

The sea breeze whipped a piece of Leah's hair into her face, before she said dreamily, "I wonder if we could board a ship, and get to Cinnabar Island. That would be cool, right?"

Julie glared at her, before jumping to her feet, grabbing Leah's arm, and yanking her along. "Come on, you lazy bum. We're going to that Gym, right now!"

Leah protested, "But I haven't had a chance to study his battle style, or formulate a battle plan, or-"

"Stop being a control freak!" Julie yelled suddenly.

I ducked my head as I trotted along behind them. We were drawing quite a crowd. Leah looked genuinely hurt, and Julie sighed.

"I didn't mean to yell, but _come on,_ Leah. You over-analyze everything, and psyche yourself out. You're a _good_ trainer. The only person who doesn't understand that, is you. Be spontaneous for once in your life. Go in there, not knowing what to expect, and give 'em everything you've got."

Leah contemplated this, before nodding and saying, "You're right. Let's get spontaneous."

* * *

"Is this _spontaneous_ enough for you?" Leah hissed angrily, before grimacing at a rotted banana peel and tossing it over her shoulder.

I sniffed it, and recoiled at the stench. We had waltzed into the Vermilion City Gym, and were a little surprised. In Pewter City, there had been a line to challenge Brock. In Cerulean, it was a freaking spectator sport. But here... Lt. Surge had been in the army. He liked challenges, obviously. But this was just ridiculous.

"Shut up, Leah, and keep looking. How was I supposed to know that weirdo army-dude would make us rummage through garbage cans?"

She rose from where she was bent over said can, and gestured around her. The room had about twenty cans; each filled to the brim with waste. When the giggling receptionist told us the task at hand, we simply laughed, thinking it was a joke.

_"Just find the two switches within the cans, and flip them on! Then the electric barriers will disappear, and you can challenge Lt. Surge! Piece of cake." _

"Piece of cake, my ass," I grumbled spitefully, as Julie flung half of a jelly doughnut over her shoulder and it splattered on my side.

I turned to lick myself clean, but it was foul-smelling, and tasted sour. I spat on the ground, growling a bit, and wishing for once that I had been recalled to my PokeBall, along with the others.

"That's disgusting," Leah giggled, before gasping and reaching farther into a can.

"Did you find it?" Julie asked excitedly.

"No," Leah growled, "False alarm."

She held up a bent piece of pipe, before kicking the can angrily and declaring it a dud. As she moved on to the next one, Julie laughed triumphantly. She reached into her can, a clunking sound resonated, and we all glanced up to see the first electric barrier fizz out.

"One down, one to go."

We searched for another ten minutes; rummaging through the garbage and fighting back the urge to gag. And finally, when Leah reached into the second-to-last trash can, she found it. When the second electric barrier lifted, Julie and Leah glanced at each other briefly, before dashing past them and into the stadium.

To my surprise, the stadium was even larger than the one in Cerulean, and I gulped a little bit; self conscious about the purple jelly that was smeared across my side, making my fur sticky and unbearable. Julie glanced around awkwardly, and then made her way to the grandstands. I bumped into the back of Leah's leg in the confusion, and that's when I saw him.

His muscular arms were folded sternly across his chest. His camoflauge pants were messily tucked into his worn combat boots, and he wore a green cut-off. His spiked blonde hair was rather short, and he wore sunglasses despite the fact we were inside. But what _really _intimidated me, was how freaking tall he was. Seriously, he was the tallest man I had ever seen in my life!

Lt. Surge didn't flinch when Leah waved shyly at him. Instead, his brow furrowed, and the bright lights glanced off his sunglasses. Leah gulped, and stepped onto the small platform she was given. Even when on the platform, he towered over her.

Surge raised his hand, and the crowd fell silent. To my surprise, the man laughed; his guffaws loud and booming through the silent stadium.

"_You're_ the one that's supposed to challenge me? A puny little tyke, who's probably still in diapers! Try not to cry too hard, kiddo, after I fry your Pokemon."

Leah gulped, but said nothing. Surge let out a short, gutteral laugh, before tossing out a PokeBall. "Show 'em, Voltorb!"

I could have _sworn_the PokeBall had given birth to a larger PokeBall, until the Voltorb blinked at us. It looked so unthreatening, I couldn't help but laugh. It narrowed its eyes, and electricity crackled around it. That shut me up.

"Dante's out of this battle, for sure," Leah muttered to herself, "So I guess I'll just have to make do with five Pokemon. Alright, c'mon out, Kenya!"

The young Luxio appeared on the field, and growled cutely at the emotionless Voltorb.

"Voltorb, Sonicboom!"

"Kenya, dodge and use Charge Beam!"

The Voltorb rolled backwards, and then fired a pulse of energy at Kenya. She easily dodged to the side, and fired the weak beam of electricity at him. The Voltorb blasted another Sonicboom, which sent the electricity careening off to the side before colliding with Kenya. She grunted, but didn't seem to be hurt too badly.

Before Leah could even order another attack, Lt. Surge boomed, "Tackle!"

The Voltorb rolled forward with such speed, Kenya didn't even have time to move out of the way. She yelped as they collided, before growling and clamping onto him using Bite. He only continued to roll forward, with ended up flinging her to the side like a limp ragdoll.

"Face it, kid!" yelled Surge smugly, "Your weak little Luxio just can't compare to Voltorb when it comes to speed!"

Kenya narrowed her eyes hatefully, and began sprinting circles around the Voltorb.

"That's the spirit, Kenya," Leah called out through cupped hands, "Use Tackle when you gain enough speed!"

"Nuh uh, we're not going down like that," Surge yelled, "Use Rollout!"

The Voltorb glanced at his trainer, before beginning to rapidly pick up speed; glowing a light brown color. Kenya darted in to try and Tackle him, but he was too quick, and she never got the chance. He came up from behind her, and slammed into her so hard she was unconscious immediately.

"Keep rollin'," Lt. Surge coolly ordered the Voltorb, who made laps around the oval arena to maintain its speed.

"Return, Kenya," Leah said sadly.

The crowd roared at the easy defeat of a Luxio, a creature most Kanto-dwellers hated and feared. I was shaking my head in disbelief. Kenya wasn't exactly the strongest Pokemon on the team, but she was certainly the fastest. If _she_couldn't even catch the Voltorb long enough to touch it, the rest of us wouldn't fair much better.

"Claire, go for it!"

Our lovable Charmeleon appeared on the field, and glanced around lazily before brandishing her claws and roaring confidentally. The display might have been a bit more intimidating... if the Voltorb hadn't taken that opportune moment to slam into her side and leave her sprawled out on the floor.

"Quite the show-off, eh?" taunted Surge, but Leah ignored him.

"Flamethrower!"

Realizing this battle would be difficult, Claire hardened her expression and obeyed quickly. The torrent of fire missed the speeding Voltorb altogether, and Claire had to dive to her left to avoid being hit by the Rollout attack. Her next Flamethrower was a hit, but the Voltorb hardly seemed fazed. In fact, it slammed into her head-first this time, and she struggled to rise to her feet.

"Try this, Claire," Leah said hurriedly as the Voltorb prepared to zoom in to deal the final blow, "When its _just_ about to hit you, jump and fire a Flamethrower at the ground."

Claire grimaced as she swayed on her feet, but nodded quickly as the Voltorb began barreling toward her.

"Wait for it," Leah commanded, "Wait... now!"

When it seemed the Voltorb was mere feet away from Claire, she thrust herself off the ground and fired a powerful pillar of fire directly beneath her. The Voltorb, unable to slow itself down in time, made a screeching sound as it was engulfed in the flames. Yet it came out on the other side, _still_ ready to fight.

"This thing just won't _die_!" Leah screamed out of frustration.

Surge grinned deviously, before growling a single command. "Spark."

The Voltorb began giving off electricity, as he rolled over and crashed into Claire. She yelped, and then collapsed onto the field, panting heavily.

"Get up, Claire," Leah pleaded, but the Charmeleon couldn't even lift her head.

Leah recalled her solemnly, before glancing down at me, and her two remaining PokeBalls. Leah smirked a little, before tossing Tyson's PokeBall into the air.

"His main advantage was Rollout, because it was super-effective against Claire. Let's see how he handles a rock-type!"

The Voltorb glared hatefully at our Cranidos, who returned the look skillfully. It was then that I noticed the Voltorb was showing some signs of fatigue. Its eyes drooped slightly, and weak electricity snapped around him, as if he was shorting out.

"Voltorb, Sonicboom!"

A little slower this time, the Voltorb rolled to the side and fired the clear blast of energy at Tyson. He dodged easily to the side, and suddenly boulders appeared around him. Where they came from, I'm not sure. But it didn't make the powerful Rock Slide attack any less awesome.

The Voltorb screeched as the rocks pounded its body relentlessly, before the electricity surrounding it grew larger. Surge yelled a command, but the Voltorb ignored it. Instead, the electricity suddenly was sent forward at Tyson with remarkable speed, it a concentrated beam of energy. Upon contact with Tyson, a blue-green sphere of energy formed, and I gaped at the powerful Thunderbolt attack.

Although it was hardly effective, Tyson still stumbled backward in a daze. This gave the Voltorb the opportunity to use Sonicboom, only stunning Tyson more.

"C'mon, Tyson!" Leah yelled in frustration, "Use Headbutt! Just do _something_!"

The poor Cranidos flinched at her harsh tone, before charging forward, through the Sonicboom attack. His head slammed into the Voltorb, who was flung backward and into the wall. But as it weakly rolled back toward Tyson, I realized something was wrong. Tyson had a panicked expression on his face, and seemed to be stuck in the position with his head down.

"Move, Tyson!" Leah yelled, now angered, because she thought Tyson was deliberately disobeying her. But something was wrong with the Cranidos, and I could tell. The Voltorb rolled forward and electrocuted Tyson, who couldn't even flinch from the Spark attack.

"Tyson, _do something!_" Leah screamed desperately, her knuckles white as she gripped the railing out of fury.

Surge laughed, before glaring at Leah coolly. "How pathetic. Voltorb, let's finish this. Selfdestruct!"

The Voltorb slowly rolled over to Tyson, who still hadn't budged. With a resigned, passive expression, the Voltorb began to glow slowly, before light burst forth and it exploded. Tyson screamed as the light engulfed him and the pieces of debris pelted his hide.

Leah yelped and ducked, covering her face with an elbow. The crowd surrounding us made a series of gasping sounds, seeming horrified at the Voltorb's demise.

As the dust settled, Tyson was sprawled out on the floor, bleeding and unconscious. Pieces of the Voltorb were embedded in his flesh, and suddenly I hated Lt. Surge vehemently. He had commanded his Pokemon to _die, _just so he could win a battle.

"That selfish bastard," I snarled, while Leah stared in horror at her injured Cranidos.

"Return, Voltorb," grunted Surge.

I watched in shock as the red beam of light branched off into hundreds of different lines, and seemed to zap every single shard of the Voltorb. They retracted, and the pieces of Voltorb came together, reforming a sphere piece by piece. And when the sphere was complete, the Voltorb was finally returned to its PokeBall.

I blinked in disbelief. So it _hadn't_ been killed. Although I bet making yourself explode was excruciatingly painful.

Blood began to drip from Tyson's wounds, and Leah's voice faltered as she whispered, "Tyson, return."

She stared at his PokeBall for what seemed like ages, before shaking her head slowly and glancing down at me.

"You're my strongest, Shadow," she whispered, "I think I should save you for last. So, I choose you, Keon!"

Surge laughed at our fierce little Machop, before smirking confidentally. "Ha! If you could barely even take down my Voltorb with _three_Pokemon, there's no chance of you winning now! You haven't even met my strongest Pokemon. Raichu, electrify!"

I felt my hope vanish as the chubby electric mouse appeared on the field, not even looking at Keon. Her eyes rested on the crowd instead, and a dark smile crossed her lips as she turned back to finally glare at him. Keon didn't flinch. In fact, he simply glared right back, popping his knuckles and preparing for a tough battle.

"Keon, Ice Punch!" Leah shouted.

Keon darted forward to oblige, only to have the Raichu agilely dodge to the side. He regrouped, and ran towards her again.

"Quick Attack, Raichu!" Surge ordered.

So quick she was momentarily invisible, the Raichu leaped at Keon and slammed into him. But before she could dodge this time, he slammed his icy fist into her stomach. Wailing, the Raichu released a jolt of electrical energy, which sent Keon into a fit of spasms.

I winced with sympathetic pain as Keon flopped to the ground, and trembled slightly as he struggled to get back to his feet. At this rate, _I_ would be the one getting electrocuted in the next couple of minutes.

"C'mon, Keon, don't give up," Leah pleaded, "Karate Chop!"

With a determined grimace on his face, he sprinted at the Raichu and brought his hand down on her head. She squealed, and I smiled faintly. She wasn't as fast as the Voltorb. We still had a chance, considering this was Surge's last Pokemon.

And just when I was beginning to be a little hopeful, Surge called out a command that made me hate him even more. "Agility, Raichu."

The mouse-like Pokemon nodded deftly, before circling Keon in ever quickening footsteps.

"Keon, look out!" Leah cried as the Raichu burst from her circle, tail gleaming a silvery color.

The Iron Tail attack, though not very effective, was still painful for Keon. Her whip-like tail with a lightning-shaped tip slashed him across the face, leaving blood dripping into his eyes. Keon grunted, and flailed backwards as he recovered from the blow and blinked red droplets from his eyes.

"Finish him off, Raichu. Use Thunderbolt!"

Keon tried his best to dodge, but the electricity seemed to lock onto him, following him like a homing missile. When it finally hit, he screeched in pain. His body was wracked with spasms as he slumped to the ground, unconscious.

As Leah recalled him, she looked down to me hopefully, laying her trust in me that I wouldn't fail her. I gulped, before ducking under the rails on the platform and leaping gracefully onto the field. I snarled at the Raichu, and began to circle her menacingly.

To my dismay, she didn't even seem tired. In fact, she winked at me mischeviously, before darting forward in a Quick Attack. I let her hit me, before whipping around and latching onto her using Bite. She wriggled free though, and I realized I hadn't even broken the skin.

Her master ordered her to use Agility, and I growled in frustration. Leah told me to use Dark Pulse, so I began firing at the speeding Raichu. She giggled as she ran, nimbly dodging to the side and sending weak Thundershocks my way, in an attempt to wear me down. Each would cause me to flinch upon impact, buying her even more time to get away.

Finally, I had to stop, because I was panting so hard to catch my breath. The Raichu stopped as well; her Agility technique having taken full effect, leaving me exhausted and her with top speed capacity.

"Ice Fang, Shadow!"

Before I could give Surge a chance to act, I leapt at the Raichu, fangs glowing blue as I charged her. She smirked confidentally, before meeting me with an Iron Tail to my shoulder. I latched onto her side and clamped down hard, resulting in her squealing in pain. She struggled and I let go, but not before growling a warning to her.

"Don't get over-confident, _rodent_."

The Raichu glowered at me hatefully, and I took this moment to examine my own wounds. There was a gash on my shoulder, bleeding slightly, but my Ice Fang had slowed her momentum. My eyes flicked over to her, and I saw her fur was coated in a sheet of ice.

Blood began to seep through her fur as well, and I grinned triumphantly. That _had_ to be a critical hit.

"Good job, Shadow! Now, finish with Bite!"

And yet, I knew a mere Bite attack wouldn't cut it. I needed something ruthless, and powerful. A range attack, so that the Raichu's speed wouldn't be an issue.

Ignoring my past problems with Hyper Beam, I opened my mouth to prepare the attack. Surge seemed to be able to tell I was planning a huge finale, because he yelled, "No more toying with him! Finish with Thunderbolt!"

I realized as the Raichu charged her attack, that this was all or nothing. If my Hyper Beam was successful, it would obliterate the Raichu, and I would be victorious. But if it failed, the Thunderbolt would be more than I could handle, and we would lose it all. And yet, if I had used Bite, there would have been no chance at all.

I thought of all this as I solemnly formed the sphere of golden energy in my maw.

"Shadow, don't-"

The raw energy exploded from my mouth, in uncontrolled directions and not even coming close to hitting the Raichu. I felt the electricity from the Thunderbolt slam into the back of my head, before I fell to the ground. I faded in and out of consciousness, as the referee declared Lt. Surge the winner.

Leah walked over to me and sprayed me with a Super Potion, and I instantly felt a little better. I rose to my feet and shook myself, before looking up at Leah apologetically. Her eyes were red as she stiffly walked over to Lt. Surge, with me at her heels. I hung my head in shame as the crowd jeered and booed at us.

"Here's my forfeit money," Leah whimpered, looking like a whipped puppy as she handed it to the tree of a man.

Lt. Surge shoved it away, and spat out, "Keep your damn money. That wasn't a Pokemon battle, that was further proving why children like yourself shouldn't be allowed within two feet of a trainer's license. Get out of my Gym, and don't come back until you can control your Pokemon correctly, or you've outgrown your diapers. Whichever comes first."

I snarled at him, not liking the tone he had taken up with Leah, but she snapped her fingers sharply, and I stopped.

"Yes, sir," she whispered inaudibly.

Lt. Surge shook his head slowly, and said in a softer voice, "You just don't get it, do you? You have powerful Pokemon, but you have an all-out offensive style. I was in the army, kid, and I know that doesn't work. In battle, you can't just focus on raw power to save your sorry ass. You have to have strategy, and defense; to be successful."

Leah nodded again, and I noticed her lower lip was trembling; she was on the brink of tears.

"You also have to take care of your soldiers. You didn't even have the wits to know that your Cranidos was paralyzed earlier, not disobeying you. I was calling _you_ pathetic, not him. Now go; train your Pokemon, and learn from your mistakes."

His firm voice made Leah flinch, before she shamefully exited the Gym, and ran to the lobby. She sat down on the bench there, and took out her PokeBalls sadly.

"I'm sorry, Tyson. I didn't know..." she said in a faltering voice.

And then, she broke down into tears; sobbing silently with her head in her hands. I whimpered sympathetically, and tried to comfort her by putting my putting my paw on her knee. Julie ran over from the grandstands, and shook her head sadly, before resting her hand on Leah's shoulder.

"It's not like you can't challenge him again tomorrow, Lee," she whispered comfortingly, "Why does it matter so much?"

"It's not about the losing," Leah snapped, before straightening up and wiping her eyes with the back of her arm.

"Well then, what is it about?" Julie asked, patting her shoulder.

"It's like, what he said comfirmed something I had wondered about all along," she sniffled.

"And what is that, exactly?" Julie asked, confused.

Leah sighed, before looking down at me sadly and rubbing me behind the ears. "That, _maybe_ they would have been better off with Kelly. And that... maybe I'm just not cut out for this whole trainer thing."

I licked her hand comfortingly, and Julie sighed. "Leah, this is about _Kelly_?"

The frail young girl nodded slightly, before her eyes filled to the brim with tears again, and she pulled her knees.

"I just miss her so much, Jules." She stared off into space, before smiling sadly, "Y'know, yesterday would have been her seventeenth birthday."

I flinched, but wasn't immediately overcome with grief. Instead, I lay my chin on Leah's knee, and wagged my tail slowly. But oh, how I wished I could tell her what I was thinking right then. That her older sister would have been proud of how far Leah had come. And yet...

I looked at the poster on the wall of Lt. Surge, standing with a serious expression; plump Raichu perched on his shoulder.

We still had a _long_ way to go.

**

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**A/N: Ookay, so they failed against Lt. Surge. Despite the gloomy mood towards the end of this chapter, next chapter should be a bit more light-hearted. Also, I thought I might point out that I now have a forum for Living in the Moment! Yay, hoorah, and all that jazz. Check it out if you get bored, there's quite a few things to do. Have fun! **

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	63. Training Galore

**A/N: ****ReCAP~ We rummaged through trash cans, and with a little encouragement from Julie, Leah went into a Gym battle without analyzing everything first. Lt. Surge basically dominated, crushing Shadow and Co. easily, which in turn crushed Leah's morale. Confidence shattered, she broke down and finally told Julie why she feels so inferior all the time. *sigh* This chapter should be less emotional. But it's still another battle-chapter.**

**(Whoa! Over 300 reviews!! Thank you guys sooo much! It's like an early birthday present...) :3**

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Chapter Sixty-Three:

Training Galore

"Try again, Shadow. You can do it, I know you can."

I growled in frustration, before turning back to the tree and focusing on funneling my energy. I opened my mouth, and felt the energy surge forward once more. It rushed outward, and then burst from my gaping jaws; this time striking the ground beneath me and causing a small explosion.

I jumped backwards, legs shaking from the effort and panting heavily. If _this_ was what a _shitty_ attempt at a Hyper Beam did to me, I didn't even want to think about how weak and exhausted I would feel after completing a full power one.

It was later that afternoon, and after confessing her troubles, Leah seemed to have a renewed resolve. She had apologized to Tyson, and even gave him a Pecha berry as a special treat. After that, she had us all healed, and set out for the outskirts of Vermilion, for training.

We were by a small, beautiful pond, with many trees surrounding it; a perfect place to relax and train casually. Julie was sitting in the shade, shoes off, with her toes dipped in the cool water. Shelley was snoozing on her lap, and Tak was perched on her shoulder. Dante was diving down in the water, relishing his swimming time, while Kenya splashed around and played in the shallows. Claire lazily dozed in the sunlight next to Tyson; a safe distance from Kenya's splashing.

Keon sat on the banks, scratching his wrist. He had gotten to take off his brace before the Gym Battle, but the quick healing had left his wrist unbearably itchy. And then, there was Leah and I. After the Gym Battle, Leah realized my Hyper Beam was something that _definitely_ needed some work.

Leah, discouraged, sighed from where she sat on a rotten tree log, and said, "Good work, Shadow, I know you're trying your hardest. Just, uh... take a little break, okay?"

I nodded weakly, before flopping down were I was and sighing.

_Why can't I get this damn attack to work!? Is it this hard for everyone, or is it just because I'm a reborn that it's so fucking difficult?_

Leah seemed to notice how down I was on myself, because she patted her leg invitingly. I didn't want her to know how exhausted I was, so I tried to hide it by trotting over to her enthusiastically. I sat down next to her and rested my chin on her knee; my signal to her that I needed some comfort.

She fondled my ears gently, before chuckling. "Don't worry, fella. You'll get it eventually."

I licked her hand, before getting up to get a drink from the pond. I stumbled and collapsed on the way there, feeling dizzy. Leah frowned concernedly, before swiftly walking over and kneeling next to me. "That Hyper Beam took a lot out of ya, didn't it?"

I nodded slightly, before thumping my tail on the ground in an attempt to prove to her that I was okay. She finally sat down all the way, cross-legged.

"You know, Shadow, that battle with Lt. Surge was eye-opening for me. I used to rely on an all-out offensive strategy, without using any evasive or defensive moves. But that's all changed. I'm in the process of developing a new battle strategy. But I need to know everyone's moves, first."

She pulled out her Pokedex, pressed a few buttons, and then pointed it at me. It bleeped, and she read the screen. Dying of curiosity, I pushed myself up and walked around to look over her shoulder. I could see a picture of a Mightyena, but the letters were all illegible.

Leah snapped her fingers, and grinned suddenly. "That's perfect!"

She shoved the Pokedex into my face, and tapped the screen. "You know Sand Attack, _and _Odor Sleuth. Those'll really come in handy for my new strategy. I can't believe I never thought of that combination before..."

She trailed off, before jumping up and carrying the Pokedex around to figure out everyone else's moves. I allowed myself to doze, feeling weary from all the time I had spent failing to conjure a Hyper Beam. I must have nodded off for quite some time, because when I woke up, there was a man talking to Leah, with some kind of Pokemon I didn't recognize.

The man was tall, and somewhat muscular; wearing a white t-shirt and jeans that looked like they had seen better days. He had frizzy hair, and a pink headband kept it out of his face. He had square glasses, along with a frizzy, unshaven facial hair. Judging by all of that, he looked to be around eighteen, possibly nineteen.

Not knowing what had woken me, I looked around casually, before Leah called my name again.

"Shadow," she called, "this is Snow Sahz. He saw us practicing, and thinks he can help with your Hyper Beam. Isn't that great?"

I nodded curtly, before warily watching the strange Pokemon next to him as it blinked at me.

It was an odd looking creature; spherical in shape and covered in a hardened purple shell. Four red, tube-like structures protruded from a gap in the shell. If not for the eyes staring placidly back at me, I would have thought it was an odd-shaped rock formation, not a Pokemon.

It blinked again, and then I realized it was mumbling to itself. I tilted my large ears forward, and listened to the weird Pokemon.

"The Mightyena has a staring problem, it seems. Probably doesn't realize I'm a living creature. Poor sap. Oh look, now he's staring at me funny. It seems he now realizes I am speaking-"

"You idiot, I can tell you're talking," I snapped impatiently, even though I couldn't see his mouth moving. "What the hell are you, anyway? Pokemon? Or freak of nature?"

He sighed and glanced upward at his trainer, before wondering aloud, "Oh, Snow, can we leave yet? This Mightyena is rude, and therefore not a suitable student."

I growled angrily, before the Forretress glanced back down at me, as if noticing me for the first time. "Mightyena, you may call me Knoxx."

Already thoroughly annoyed, I turned my back on the Bagworm Pokemon and looked up at his trainer, instead. Leah was nodding at him, wide-eyed, as he casually told her about his experiences with the move Hyper Beam. Julie, seemingly uninterested, ignored the two and played with Kenya in the water.

"Yeah, Knoxx here learned Hyper Beam about three years ago," Snow said with a shrug, "It took him a while to get it down, but it's near perfection now. Isn't that right, buddy?"

Knoxx chuckled, and muttered, "Snow is too modest. He knows my Hyper Beam maneuver is flawless."

"Or perhaps you're not modest _enough_," I snorted sarcastically.

Again, the Forretress ignored me, and continued to think aloud. "Oh look, Snow is getting an idea."

"I don't have much advice for you, Leah, except to practice it a lot. It's worth it in the end, believe me. In fact..."

He turned to Knoxx, and grinned. "Hey Knoxx, why don't you just demonstrate?"

Knoxx, silent for once, began to levitate. He floated a few feet away, and then faced the tree I had been aiming at. His eyes shut tightly, and I heard him inhale sharply.

Golden energy began to build up in front of him; growing into a sphere nearly half his size. Just when it seemed like the energy would become uncontrollable, Knoxx grunted and it exploded forward in a straight, huge beam of light. I felt the energy waves surge over me as the beam collided with the tree. I stared in awe as it burned a hole through the tree trunk, and then disappeared as suddenly as it had burst forth.

I had expected Knoxx to collapse like I had from the energy it took, but he never even wavered in his levitation.

He slowly opened his eyes, and then sighed. "The Mightyena looks impressed. Perhaps _that_ little display has earned me some respect. Not that it matters, I don't need his approval..."

His muttering became inaudible as he floated back over to Snow and returned to the ground. Julie, now interested, jogged over and glomped onto Snow excitedly.

"That was _so cool_!" she squealed. "You must be a _phenomenal_ trainer."

"That happens when you've been training for eight years," he chuckled, before turning to the speechless Leah. "The trick to Hyper Beam, is the timing. You want them to build up enough power to propel the energy forward, but not too much that it becomes uncontrollable. It takes a remarkable amount of skill. Keep at it, and good luck. Who knows, maybe I'll see you around some time."

Leah thanked him profusely, and he left us with a small wave; Knoxx floating along behind him. I stared after them, a little flabbergasted. I guess it just further proves you can't judge a book by its cover, no matter how bizzarre that cover may be.

"He was _so cool_," Julie sighed dreamily.

"Yeah, and helpful, too," Leah said distractedly, before whipping out her notepad and scribbling down some notes.

I couldn't help but smile a little. She was being her usual nerdy, analytical self. Things were finally getting back to normal.

"Did you _see _how powerful he was, Uncle Shadow?" chirped Kenya from behind me.

I turned to face her with a sour expression, jealousy eating me up inside. "Hmph, he wasn't that great. My Hyper Beam will be ten times that powerful."

She smiled sweetly, before nodding and replying bluntly, "Oh, I'm sure. But you have to learn how to make it _not _blow up in your face, first."

I knew she hadn't meant it in a negative way, but that didn't make it sting any less. Claire and Shelley both snickered at this, and I gave them the death glare.

"Well she's got a point, Shadow," gasped Claire between her giggles.

"We can be done working on Hyper Beam today, Shadow," Leah said as she walked by me, to her bag. "It sounds like it's going to take a _long_ time to get it right, and I want to challenge Lt. Surge again tomorrow. So, we're going to go find a trainer, and level a few of you up."

"Thank goodness," Julie complained, "I was _so_ bored earlier."

"Yeah right," Leah snorted, "You were practically drooling over Snow."

Julie rolled her eyes. "You're too young to understand, Leah. Some day, you will."

Leah returned everyone to their PokeBall, excluding me, of course. She enjoyed having the element of surprise in battle, and letting her opponent know every single Pokemon she owned. Shelley and Tak were the only others left out of their PokeBall. They whispered secretively to themselves, giggling and cooing to one another about something. I rolled my eyes. Mushy talk had always sparked annoyance in me.

_Hypocrite,_ sneered a familiar voice in my head_, you were quite the mushy person yourself, when it came to Kelly, that is. Perhaps you're just jealous of their happiness?_

I shook myself, ignoring the voice and focusing on putting one paw in front of the other. I _pitied _Shelley and Tak. Someday, one of them would die, and the other would experience awful emotional pain.

As we rounded a corner on our way back to town, I could see a trainer up ahead. Leah seemed to notice as well, because she began to walk in their general direction... whoever they were.

"Oh, shut up, Julie. You're only two years older than me. That hardly makes you superior."

While they bickered back and forth, I studied the trainer closely. She was sitting on a bench just on the edge of town, staring at the ground ahead of her sadly. She had a chocolate ice cream cone, and was licking it slowly; deliberately.

She had short brunette hair in drill pigtails, peach colored skin, and blue-green eyes. She wore a light blue halter-top, black shorts, and matching shoes. What I thought was odd, was that she also wore white fingerless gloves, even though it was far from cold outside.

I knew she was a trainer, because there was an Umbreon at her side, staring up at her intently, and a belt with four PokeBalls hung loosely around her waist.

"Hi there," Leah chirped.

The girl didn't even look up from her ice cream, but the Umbreon swiveled his head around to look us over. Unnerved by the girl's depressed appearance and the fact she was being ignored, Leah stumbled over her words.

"Uh... are you a trainer? Because, well, if you aren't, then I don't want to bother you..."

The girl slowly turned her head to finally look at as, with sad-looking eyes. She blinked slowly, before licking her ice cream again and nodding.

"Oh, okay. Well then, I was wondering... would you mind battling me?"

The girl's eyes bulged, and she tossed the ice cream over her shoulder before jumping up excitedly. "Of course! We haven't seen any action all day, right Metus?"

Her Umbreon, Metus, shook his head before stretching lazily. "Not a bit. But by the looks of this chump, this battle won't really be action-packed."

"Watch your mouth, buddy," I snarled. "I'm bigger than you, stronger than you, _and_ smarter than you. Don't get on my bad side."

The Umbreon snorted sarcastically, before rolling his eyes, "Dude, _chill_. That's trash-talk. Nothing personal."

I narrowed my eyes at him in suspicion, but decided to listen to the girls' conversation instead of arguing further. "My name's Erin Hill. And this is my Umbreon, Metus."

"Leah Walsch," said my trainer, before extending her hand tentatively to shake, "and this is Shadow."

"I'm Julie," blurted out none other than Julie herself, before pointing at her Natu and Turtwig, "and that's Tak, and Shelley."

"Well now _that's_ out of the way," Erin said eagerly, before turning to Leah, "you look familiar! Did you just battle Lt. Surge earlier today, and lose?"

Leah's friendly smile wavered, and Julie quickly interrupted. "I like your gloves, Erin! Talk about a fashion statement. Where did you get them? I-"

Erin held up a hand to silence Julie, before staring intensely at Leah, waiting for an answer.

"Yeah, that was me," Leah said meekly, with a half-hearted chuckle, "I guess we weren't ready. But he's a really tough battler."

Erin beamed, and nodded vigorously. "You're telling me! I didn't think I'd be able to pull off a win, to be honest."

She dug through her bag, and pulled out a small metallic case... to reveal four polished Gym Badges, one of them gleaming more than the others.

I inhaled sharply; whether out of awe or jealousy, I don't care to recall.

It had an octagonal ruby core, with triangular amber pieces jutting out from it; making it resemble a sunflower. A Thunder Badge.

Whatever self-confidence Leah had regained in the past few hours, melted away rapidly as she gazed longingly at the Thunder Badge. Erin, seeming to finally notice how heartbreaking this was for Leah, immediately snapped the case shut, causing Leah to jump a little in surprise.

Erin glanced down at Leah apologetically, before adding softly, "It's nothing to be ashamed of. Surge _was_ really tough. Hell, we had to try _three times_ before finally beating him."

"It really shook her confidence," Metus confessed to me, before leaning against Erin's leg in a protective manner.

"Is that why she acts so depressed?" I barked.

The Umbreon narrowed his eyes at me, but said nothing in response.

Erin was wringing her hands, almost compulsively as Leah sat in silence. "So... can we have that battle? Like, _now_?"

Taken aback by Erin's sudden enthusiasm for life, Leah blinked in surprise, before shrugging. "Sure, why not-"

Erin practically sprinted out into the middle of the path, with Metus on her heels. Leah glanced down at me, before shrugging, and casually strolling out onto the field. I trotted along after her, smiling bemusedly. I was _hoping_ this battle would be more fun, whereas the last battle I'd participated in had been stressful.

"Four on four, I'll pick first," Erin announced, "Lan, spotlight!"

To my slight surprise, a Chinchou materialized on the field. It blinked its odd looking eyes at me passively, before sighing dejectedly. Leah appeared thoughtful for a moment, before glancing down at her PokeBalls indecisively.

"It would pay to have a grass-type right about now," she grumbled, before finally deciding and tossing out Kenya's PokeBall.

The Luxio smiled at Erin, before flicking her tail and catching sight of Lan.

"Awh, you're _so cute_!!" Kenya gushed, grinning stupidly at the tiny little Chinchou.

"You are an idiot," replied the Chinchou in a cold, flat tone.

Kenya's cheery grin wavered a bit, but she didn't get a chance to respond, because Leah promptly ordered a Tackle attack. Kenya darted forward, slamming into the depressed Chinchou and knocking her over. Lan grunted, but said nothing as she climbed back onto her stubby legs.

"Come on, Lan, don't take that!" called out Erin. "Use Bubblebeam!"

Lan rolled her eyes, before waddled closer to Kenya and spraying a stream of bubbles at Kenya. The Luxio stopped running, giggling as she caught sight of the steady stream of rainbow-colored bubbles. I had to admit, even _I_ thought it was pretty.

"Bubbles!" Kenya squealed in delight, before trotted over to the drifting beam and reaching up to touch them with her snout.

"Kenya, don't! Those aren't your everyday bubbles, they-"

Kenya screeched as the bubbles hit her full force, popping all around her and getting in her eyes. "It burns!" she howled in pain.

"Pay attention!" I snapped to Kenya, as Erin ordered Lan to use Water Gun.

Kenya dodged to the side, still shaking her head furiously; trying to get rid of the stinging in her eyes. "Kenya, use Leer, then follow up with Bite!"

"Lan, try Thunder Wave!"

Lan shot a weak wave of blue electricity at Kenya, who easily side-stepped it. Then, Kenya glared at the Chinchou in such a menacing way, even I shrunk back instinctively. Her eyes gleamed, and Lan hunkered down a bit, unable to move for a split-second as Kenya dove in and clamped down on one of her antennae.

Lan squealed in agony, and shook her head furiously to free herself of the Luxio. Kenya obliged, but immediately glanced up at Leah for further orders. "She's stunned, Kenya, so use Charge." The Luxio nodded, and began taking in energy. Her fur began to crackle with electricity, and Kenya struggled to contain the raw power.

"Lan, Bubblebeam again!"

The Chinchou deftly fired another Bubblebeam at Kenya, who could only wince as it hit her directly in her face. Controlling the electrical energy had temporarily immobilized her.

"Now, Kenya! Charge Beam!"

Kenya opened her maw, to produce a stream of electricity nearly double its normal size. The light was blinding, and yet I couldn't look away. Lan screeched as it overcame her, before countering it with her own electric attack, Thunderbolt.

The two opposing forces caused a small explosion, sending both electric-types sprawling to the ground. Kenya rose to her feet quickly, though she was panting through gritted teeth. Lan was having a bit more trouble getting up, and her head lamps were flickering weakly.

"Kenya, use-"

"That won't be necessary," said Erin with a defeated sigh. "Lan, you fought well. You can be finished. No sense in getting you knocked out..."

The Chinchou looked up at her trainer gratefully, before limping over to sit behind her and Metus.

"Kenya, good work," said Leah, before kneeling.

Kenya happily trotted over, and let out a rumbling purr as Leah rubbed her behind her giant ears.

"That was a good combination," Kenya panted to me, "It was strong, even though it made me tired. I hope I get to do that again."

I smiled faintly, before nodding, "You did good, Kenya. And now you get to sit back and relax." She smiled, before sitting next to me.

"My turn to choose first," Leah announced, in a much better mood now that she had managed to beat one of Erin's Pokemon.

She tossed a PokeBall into the air, and Claire appeared on the field. The Charmeleon blinked slowly, before yawning and stretching lazily. "Well _that_ didn't take long. What kind of trainer do we have here? Some newbie?"

Erin threw out her own PokeBall, giggling, to reveal her _own _Charmeleon.

"Hardly," he snorted, before winking at Claire suggestively.

"It's a good thing Keon's not out here," I heard Shelley whisper to Tak. "He'd break his other wrist over that idiot's head."

"Who the hell are _you_?" Claire snarled, circling the over-confident male Charmeleon skillfully.

He shrugged casually, "Name's Ace. But _you_ can call me the 'man of your dreams'."

Losing her temper, Claire leapt forward, claws glowing in a Dragon Claw attack. But Ace easily side-stepped her, sending Claire sprawled on the ground and spitting out dirt. Ace smirked, before snickering and clicking his tongue in mock disapproval.

"Now now, my beauty, don't let your temper get the better of you," Ace sneered, eyes glimmering mischievously.

"This could get messy," I growled under my breath.

"Claire, focus! Use Scary Face!"

Claire obeyed, and her face contorted to form a nasty looking, hateful facade. When Erin ordered Ace to use Fire Fang, I noticed he moved towards Claire at a much slower pace. She easily dodged him, before opening her maw and unleashing a torrent of purple flames.

Leah looked a bit surprised by the Dragon Rage attack, because she hadn't ordered it. But that was one thing about Claire. Her nasty temper caused her to block out everyone. I sighed sympathetically. Poor Leah. Claire wouldn't listen to a word she said.

Ace, getting the idea after taking the hit, laughed playfully, "Oh, I get it. You want an all out fight. That's hot."

"No trainers, just us. I'll try not to kill you," Claire snarled, before lunging at Ace and brandishing her glowing claws.

They ripped three long gashes across his back, and yet Ace easily retaliated with Fire Fang. Claire yelped, backing up and flaring her tail out of anger. Ace just motioned for her to bring it on, and they dove in to continue their dangerous fight. Leah and Erin were both shouting commands, trying to regain control of their Pokemon.

Ace looked up at Erin once, waiting for a command, but Claire had interrupted with a pillar of fire.

"Ace, listen to me!" Erin yelled. "She likes physical fighting, so just keep her away. Use Flamethrower whenever she gets close!"

Ace nodded, before twirling away from their dangerous dance and blasting Claire. Our Charmeleon yelped, and fell to the ground, stunned by the head-on attack.

"Claire, I'm called your _trainer_ for a reason," Leah said firmly, as Claire picked herself up off the ground. "I know you're prideful, and think you can pull this off on your own, but I'm in charge, and I have a plan. So either listen to me, or I'll recall you right now and forfeit this round."

Claire's eyes widened a bit, before acrid smoke curled out of her nostrils, indicating her frustration. She nodded reluctantly, though, and Leah ordered her to use Smokescreen. The acrid smoke, that had once been a sign of Claire's annoyance, now shot out of her mouth, settling a thick, black haze over the battlefield.

I immediately began coughing; the smoke stinging my eyes and making it impossible to see more than a foot in front of me.

"Ace, use Flamethrower!" Erin called out hopefully.

A blast of fire shot out towards Julie, Shelley, and Tak; who all screeched and dove to avoid the misguided flames.

"Sorry about that!" Erin called out nervously.

"Good job Claire. Now, use Dig," Leah commanded, her voice authoritative and calm.

I would describe what happened next... but there are two problems with that. First of all, smoke covered the battlefield, so nothing was visible. And second, I was too busy coughing up a lung to pay attention.

But I did hear a vicious roar, before hearing a _thud_ as a body slumped to the ground. My watery eyes could barely distinguish a figure emerging from the smoke; triumphant and looking quite smug.

"Whose Charmeleon is it?" Julie yelled.

The figure glared at her, before growling in a very feminine voice, "It's _me_, dipshit. Did you honestly think that flirtatious smart-ass would win?"

Kenya cheered from beside me happily, and I smiled smugly at Metus. He made it very clear he was ignoring me, though.

"See, Claire? Sometimes you've just got to trust me," Leah chided gently as the fire-lizard approached us. Before Claire could protest, though, Leah rubbed her horn and smiled approvingly. "However... you _did_ fight well. Thanks, Claire."

The Charmeleon smiled boastfully, before sitting next to Kenya and sighed contentedly and grunting, "Two down, two to go."

"Dante hasn't gotten to battle in a while," Leah said thoughtfully, as she picked up his PokeBall.

Erin watched calmly as the Psyduck appeared before us, and then smiled. "Shin, you're up!"

My jaw dropped as a Riolu materialized before us, glowering at Dante with a serious expression. Leah quickly made the first move; she knew this wasn't going to be an easy fight. "Dante, start out with Scratch!"

He nodded, before waddling forward as fast as he could to obey. Shin smirked, before springing upward in the air, not only avoiding the attack gracefully, but also landing on the Psyduck's head. Dante grunted, and squirmed to get up. Shin smirked, before using Force Palm in the back of Dante's head. He stopped squirming, and the Riolu leaped away from him.

"Dante, use Water Pulse!"

"Shin, Foresight, then Quick Attack!"

Dante fired off three rings of shimmering water; each slamming into Shin mercilessly. Unfazed, her eyes gleamed, before she darted forward with remarkable speed, using her bulk (all of 44 lbs), to slam into Dante. He didn't even flinch, before scratching her across the snout. Shin yelped, before back-flipping away from him and rubbing her bleeding muzzle.

"Confusion!"

Dante's eyes glowed with a blue aura, and the aura was transferred to Shin, who glowed as well. She shrieked in pain from the super-effective move.

"Good work," Leah praised Dante, who nodded evenly before finishing the Confusion attack. "Now, finish with Ice Beam!"

The crystalline beam headed straight for the panting Riolu, who stared at it blankly.

"Get out of the way, Shin!" yelled Metus worriedly.

Shin smirked, before her leg began to glow a dull orange. Suddenly, it erupted in flames, just as the Ice Beam was about to hit her. I watched, mouth agape, as the Blaze Kick attack obliterated the Ice Beam and hit Dante head-on. Dante grunted, but rose again to use Scratch when Shin surprised me _yet again,_ by pulling back her fist.

It crackled with electrical energy, and then she whacked Dante in the stomach with it. He stumbled backwards, before falling to the ground, unconscious. Leah ran onto the field and scooped up the fallen Psyduck; carrying him back and laying him next to me.

"He'll come around," Leah assured us, "And when he does, give him an Oran Berry from my bag. That should help."

I nodded, though Claire would have to be the one to grab the berry, seeing as I lacked the hands to do so myself.

"You fought so well!" Erin squealed, before picking up the battle-crazed Riolu and hugging her tightly.

"That's my girl," chuckled Metus, before stalking out onto the battle field and glancing over at me casually. "C'mon, Shadow! Let's see if you really are as good as you say you are!"

I bristled slightly, but yawned in response. It was ultimately up to Leah to choose who fought the Umbreon, after all.

"A dark-type, huh?" Leah murmured, before unclipping Keon's PokeBall.

"So you're too chicken to fight me, huh Shadow?" taunted Metus.

A growl involuntarily escaped my throat, and I watched as Leah tapped Keon's PokeBall, enlarging it. Metus snickered

"Should've known you wouldn't-"

I barked as viciously as I could, silencing Metus and causing Leah to jump in surprise. Keon's PokeBall fell to the ground, and I rose to my feet angrily. I trotted onto the field stubbornly, and snarled at Metus. He seemed amused that he had annoyed me, because his eyes were glimmering with mischief.

"Shadow, you want to fight him?" Leah asked blankly.

I nodded sharply, my eyes locked on his lithe body. It may have been Mightyena instinct kicking in. Or, maybe I felt I had something to prove. But as I stood there, snarling, and waiting for my first command, I knew all I wanted was to make the Umbreon eat his words.

"Metus, Sand Attack!"

"Shadow, match that!"

Simultaneously, we both kicked up a spray of sand and grit. His was a bit more practiced than mine, though, because I got a bit in my eyes while he went untouched. I shook my head to clear my vision, but the grit seemed to dissolve and blur my vision even worse.

"Use Shadow Ball, Metus!"

"Avoid it, Shadow, then use Poison Fang!"

My opponent charged up a swirling blob of purplish energy in his mouth, before lobbing it directly at me. I dodged to the side, and lunged in to clamp down on his ear. I let the poison flow from my fangs, and only let go when he began to whimper. Once freed from my lock-jaw hold, he whirled and raked his claws over my face. I yelped, before shaking the blood droplets off.

I was enraged. And in my fury, I blasted Metus with a high-powered Dark Pulse. Although not super-effective, the force was enough to send him sprawling. He winced; shakily standing up again and growling in frustration.

"Faint Attack!"

"Shadow, Ice Fang!"

Metus smirked at me, before becoming a faint shadow. He ran circles around me, and I couldn't see him at all, except for a flicker here and there. Unnerved, I leaped forward, ice coating my fangs as I snapped my jaws wildly, completely missing my target.

Seeing his chance, Metus appeared behind me, before slamming into my side. I winced, realizing he had struck my freshly healed ribcage. The bruises were nearly gone, but it still hurt more than usual.

Leah seemed to notice, because she yelled words of encouragement to me as I pounced on the retreating Umbreon and sunk my fangs into the back of his neck. Ice coated his fur, and he yelped softly until I let him go, panting.

"Metus!" Erin yelled concernedly.

But he was a tough little bastard, and managed to rise to his feet again, though he swayed back and forth slightly.

"You just won't stay down, will you?" I snarled.

"I'm not going down _that_ easily," he growled in reply, before firing a Shadow Ball point blank at my face.

As the swirling sphere of energy slammed into my face, I noticed it felt cold, and made a powerful, painful energy surge through my skull. The energy made me feel extremely light-headed, and nauseous even after it had passed through me. I shook my head numbly, and whirled to see Metus backing off, no doubt giving himself room for another Faint Attack. There was no way it would miss, and I didn't know if I could stay conscious after taking another hit.

Leah seemed to have the same thought, because she yelled to me, "Shadow, wait until he's coming for you, then use Roar!"

Not knowing how this would work out, I gritted my teeth and crouched low to the dusty ground, tensing every muscle in my body in preparation. Metus winked at me, before darting forward, cloaked in a shadow. I thrust my chest out, and felt an ear-shattering, ferocious roar escape my maw.

Everyone covered their ears, and Metus was startled out of his shadow cloak. He yelped and rolled onto the ground, staring at me wide-eyed.

Confidence renewed, I burst forward and charged the stunned Umbreon, fangs bared and heating up in a Fire Fang attack. I clamped down on the Umbreon's back, flames leaping from my throat and scorching his sleek black pelt. He instantly fell limp, and moaned as I backed off.

"You did it, Shadow!" Leah squealed excitedly, as Erin ran out to check on her fallen Pokemon.

Beaming, I pranced over to the others like a proud peacock, holding my tail and head high. My heart raced from exhilaration, and pounded in my chest like a war-drum.

I had almost forgotten how great it felt to win.

* * *

**A/N: Okay, prepare for a long and informative author's note. First off, check out the poll! You get to choose what next chapter is about. (i.e. Gym Battle, or Kelly-centric) **

**Second of all, I want to invite/beg you to visit my forum! You can chat with us, ask me any random question you want, see spoilers on upcoming chapters, recommend stories for R&Ring, and submit OCs like the two you saw in this chapter! What's not to love? ;)**

**Third, let the world take note, that I will be sixteen in four short days!! :) *cue evil laughter***

**[Snow Sahz and Knoxx belong to The Dude Of Doom, and Erin & her Pokemon belong to DarkIncubisKing.] Thanks!**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby****  
**


	64. Two of a Kind

**A/N: Wow, okay, so a lot of you voted on the poll, and all of you (except a few lonely people... sorry!) wanted a Kelly-centric. Have to say, I was excited to write this. I know _I_was beginning to miss the Leafeon, and it sounds like some of you did, too. So, without further ado~!**

* * *

Chapter Sixty-Four: 

Two of a Kind

She glanced up curiously at the huge cliff that loomed over them. She felt extremely uncomfortable, surrounded by all the volatile, unpredictable pig-monkeys. But she held her head and tail high, and kept her eyes focused straight ahead. She couldn't show her vulnerabilities, and that they made her nervous. She had to keep them fearing her, or else they could lose their respect and turn on her.

One of the Primeape moved in front of her; guiding her to a tunnel at the base of the cliff. The mass of Pokemon behind her carried the fruit in with them, and branched off to a large storage cavern.

"Why did the colony venture so far from home?" she asked in a cool, level tone; trying to sound dignified.

"Winter draws near," said the Primeape in a gruff voice, as he avoided her gaze, "We must prepare, so we do not starve, Madame Okorizaru."

He bowed slightly, and she faltered a bit. _Okorizaru? What the hell is that?_

But she dared not ask, preferring to keep quiet. So, they continued on in silence, climbing higher and higher through the tunnel. Light filtered in from air vents; which were, in reality, only small holes drilled from the outside to let in the light. She was amazed by the primitive underground dwelling. How they could survive was a mystery to her, but she figured she would learn soon enough.

The path leveled out, and at the end of the hall was a small opening.

"This is your room," grunted the Primeape guard. His eyes were shifty, and he rocked on his heels nervously.

Unperturbed, she gracefully brushed past him and continued into the small cave-like area. It was luxurious in comparison to the rest of the simplistic and jagged tunnels she had traveled through. A bed of peat moss and pine needles lay in the corner, and the walls were covered in what looked like red war paint. It was smeared and swirled around in odds patterns, and sent a chill down her spine.

"We will send you your personal servant shortly," he grumbled, before laying a crudely made plank of wood up against the door-frame; giving her a tiny shred of privacy.

The Leafeon strode gracefully over to the wall, trying to make sense of the swirls and patterns the Primeape king had made during his reign. She sniffed it curiously, and then recoiled from the familiar, metallic smell. Repulsed, she gingerly walked to the bed and curled up in it.

To her surprise, it was actually rather comfortable, and thick. A twang of guilt plagued her, as she thought of the former king. She had taken this from him. And yet...

_Why should I feel guilty? I was only defending myself. I didn't ask for... this._

She glanced upward, and could barely see the twig-crown on her head. It made her ears itch, and she contemplated taking it off, before thinking better of it. She had to tread lightly around these unpredictable brutes.

Turning her attention to more important matters, she began licking a cut wound on her left foreleg. Her body was covered in bruises, which were thankfully covered by her velvety tan fur. She didn't realize it right away, but she was paranoid. Highly paranoid, that they would mistake her wounds for weaknesses, and a chance to strike.

Suddenly, the Leafeon stiffened, and quickly flicked her ears forward, to catch the sound of bare feet slapping on the cold stone tunnel. The owner of the feet paused, before knocking lightly on the plank of wood.

"Madame Okorizaru, permission to enter?" crooned a young, feminine voice.

Still unfamiliar with the title, the Leafeon did not answer immediately, distracted by her fear. _They are natural-born Pokemon... they can smell it on me!_

"Uh, yes, permission granted," she replied coldly, silently cursing herself for stumbling over her words.

The plank was moved aside, and a tiny Mankey crawled in; barely visible in the dimly lit room. She bowed her head out of deep respect for the Leafeon, before slowly rising to her feet again.

"I am your servant, Madame Okorizaru. Anything you wish, I will assist you with."

The Leafeon cocked an eyebrow, before grinning sheepishly. "So, you'll get me food, fluff my bed, fan me when I get hot, and die for me? That kind of servant?"

The Mankey didn't even hesitate, nodding deftly to prove her loyalty.

"Of course, Madame. My purpose in life is to make you happy. And by whatever means necessary, I will do my duty."

The Leafeon, taken aback by the Mankey's resolve, frowned slightly. "Wow... you certainly are loyal."

The Mankey grinned earnestly, her tail waggling in a dog-like manner. "Yes, Madame Okorizaru. Anything for you."

"Anything for me," repeated the Leafeon slowly, thoughtfully. "Alright then, I want you to do two things for me. First, tell me why everyone is calling me that."

Puzzled, her servant furrowed her brow, "Okorizaru? It is a reverent title, given only to the highest of our clan."

Now it was the Leafeon's turn to be puzzled, "But, what does it mean?"

"It is an ancient title, that has been passed down for generations," said the Mankey, glancing nervously up at the Leafeon and then quickly back to the floor; chewing on her lip.

"So, you're saying you _don't _know what it means," stated the Leafeon flatly.

"Uh... not exactly," squeaked the Mankey, "I'm so sorry, Madame Okorizaru, I'll find out as soon as I-"

"Holy crap, calm down," the Leafeon said, taking a step back from the petrified Mankey. "It's not that big of a deal, okay? I was just curious. Don't worry about it."

The Mankey gulped, and nodded slightly, before bowing again. "I am calm, Madame. You may ask your second question now."

As the Leafeon watched the tiny Mankey, she couldn't help but think there was something that set her apart from the others. She was softer spoken, with kinder eyes, and was extremely timid. But those weren't the only things that the Leafeon noticed were off about the Mankey.

_Her fur... it looks darker than the other Mankey in the clan. Or is it just my eyes playing tricks on me?_

"Oh, right, my other question," the Leafeon said, ignoring her own thoughts, for now. "I just wanted to know your name, that's all."

The Mankey blinked, before cocking her head to the side in confusion. "My name?"

"You know, what others call you when they want to get your attention," said the Leafeon; only half-joking.

"The other Mankey and Primeape in the clan don't speak to me," she said ashamedly, eyes shifting downward as she spoke. "It is forbidden. You see... I am marked by the demons of the underworld."

"I beg your pardon?" asked the Leafeon, finding this fascinating and yet sad at the same time. She never could have imagined a clan of Pokemon remaining so primitive, as to cast out one of their own because she was different. And then again... that sounded oddly similar to how _she_ had been treated in the Eon clan.

"My fur," whispered the Mankey sadly, before holding it up closer to the Leafeon's snout.

Upon a closer inspection, she noticed instead of a pale cream coloration, the Mankey's fur was a olive green.

_Well that certainly explains a lot. A shiny Mankey! No wonder she's so timid... those mindless swines probably treat her like shit._

She started to blurt out her discoveries, but paused. There was time for that, but first, she wanted to know the young Mankey's name.

"Well, what did your master call you? Certainly he called you by name when he wanted you to do something for him."

"He never got around to asking me my name, Madame. He just called me 'slave'."

The Leafeon whacked herself in the head with a fore paw, getting absolutely nowhere with the somewhat dense Mankey. Getting irritated, -as she easily was- the Leafeon stalked past her servant and stared at the wall intently, counting to a hundred.

The Mankey behind her glanced around nervously, shifting her feet restlessly as she waited for her mistress to calm down. The Leafeon sighed heavily, before slowly turning to face the Mankey, who gulped and squeaked, "Well... my mother called me Elda. If that helps at all."

"More than you know," snorted the Leafeon, before turning back to the wall. "Tell me, Elda, what was used to paint these walls?"

She already knew the answer. The cold, metallic stench clung to her nostrils; the sickening sweet stench reminding her of so many painful, yet blurry memories. A chill ran down her spine as she studied the walls again.

"My former master... he was obsessed with his victories. In battle, after he killed his opponents, he would collect their blood, and smear it across the walls. He thought the spirits of the dead would honor and protect him."

"That's repulsive," sneered the Leafeon, forgetting her former fear of the little green Mankey. Elda seemed timid, and meek. If anything, she now wanted to befriend her. It helped that they had both suffered through prejudice, because of their fur.

"I thought so, too," Elda sighed wistfully. "But you earn respect from our clan by being ruthless, courageous, and powerful. It really is quite an honor the elders welcomed you in to the clan, instead of killing you off like all the other Pokemon that upset them."

"How sweet of them," the Leafeon snorted sarcastically.

"I would be careful, though," Elda said gravely, oblivious to the scornful tone of her mistress. "Sure, they respect you, but odds are they are going to study you closely. They want to observe you, and become stronger themselves. If they think they can take you down..."

"They'll jump at the chance," said the Leafeon, finishing Elda's sentence. "Right, I get it. But I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Madame Okorizaru. Just... be wary."

They fell silent for a moment, each allowing their minds to wander away from the troubling conversation, and the tiny cave room bathed in the blood of innocent Pokemon. The Leafeon wished that she could see the sun from her room. The dim lighting of the hall torches and tiny air vents weren't sufficient, and being a Leafeon, she thrived in the sunlight.

A panicky thought skipped through her head, and the Leafeon tensed instinctively. She realized, if cut off from sunlight long enough, she would become weakened, and vulnerable.

"You don't like it when I call you that, do you?" asked Elda abruptly, jerking the Leafeon back to reality.

"What makes you think that?"

"You visibly tense up whenever I call you by your proper title."

The Leafeon, relieved that Elda hadn't detected her _actual_ reason for nervousness, relaxed slightly and played along. "It does make me a bit uncomfortable, I have to admit."

Elda nodded, "I can understand. So, Madame, what would you like me to call you, if not by the ancient title?"

"I... well, I hadn't thought about that," said the Leafeon a bit nervously, chewing on her lower lip.

"Well, what is the name _your _mother gave you?" asked Elda innocently, not knowing how much sorrow this brought up in the grass-type's heart.

"...I can't remember," the Leafeon choked out, her eyes welling up with tears at the harsh reality.

* * *

"So, what all _do_ you remember about your past, Miss?"

Half an hour had passed, filled with sobbing and a frantic Mankey scrambling all over creation, trying to find her mistress some comfort food. Elda had returned with a large basket, filled to the brim with ripened berries of every sort. As they sat and chewed on them, the Leafeon tried to recall her painful, and haunting past. When the grass-type was calm enough, her servant prodded. Elda had agreed to call her 'Miss' instead of 'Madame', since it was less formal.

The Leafeon was silent for a moment, wondering how much information she should disclose. After all, she barely knew anything about Elda herself. And yet... genuine concern flooded the young Mankey's face, as she handed her mistress a Grepa berry.

"I wasn't always a Leafeon," she whispered, nearly inaudibly.

"Well, I kind of had that one figured out," Elda said with an easy laugh. "You had to be an Eevee before you could become a Leafeon."

She smiled softly, as she noticed Elda was being more open, and less fearful towards her. "No, Elda. I mean... I wasn't always a _Pokemon_. I am a reborn."

The green-furred Mankey smiled jokingly for a minute, and then her face contorted with disbelief as she saw that the Leafeon was serious.

"It... it can't be!" Elda gasped, backing away. "Rebirth is only an old legend, a myth!"

"It's true," she replied, shaking her head slightly and wondering if she had made a mistake in telling her servant.

"Wow. This is a lot to take in at once," Elda breathed, fanning herself with her paw.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't going to tell you... but I think it factors in to my memory loss, somehow," explained the Leafeon apologetically. "Do you-"

"No, Miss, you may continue," Elda sighed, rubbing her temples methodically. "I'm not exactly in a position to be judgmental, myself."

"I can remember every detail of my Pokemon life," the Leafeon said bitterly. But the bitterness faded, and was replaced by sadness as she continued. "And I am pretty sure I could remember my human family, up until sometime after I became a Leafeon.

"But one night, I had a terrible dream. And when I woke up, I faintly remembered my human family. A mother, a father, and a younger sister," said the Leafeon sadly. "I don't know what they looked like, or their names for that matter, but I knew they were there. I don't remember what I was like, or anything about my human life, but I _do_ know I was happy. For the most part, of course."

"What do you mean by that, Miss?"

"I remember only one person from my human life, Elda. I remember his voice clear as day; the way he laughed, every detail of his face... It's all so clear in my head! Every night, I dream about him. I _loved _him, Elda, I really did. But I never got a chance to tell him, because I never realized it until he was gone. He was killed, and I watched him die. It's like... his death is stamped in my brain, rewinding and playing again thousands of times. I just want it to _end_!" she screeched finally in defeat, tears streaming down her golden fur and dripping onto the bed of pine needles below.

Elda worriedly offered the Leafeon a Bluk berry, not knowing how to console the miserable creature. "I'm sorry, Miss, I had no idea-"

"Please, don't," moaned the Leafeon, shaking her head to rid herself of the tears. "You've helped me more than you could know."

"But, how?" Elda wondered aloud, as her mistress lay down on the bed and curled tightly into a ball.

"It's nice to have someone to unload on, Elda," explained the weary Leafeon with a stifled yawn; the crying having worn her out.

The young Mankey nodded in understanding, before sighing softly and sitting on the floor. She was about to drift off as well, when the Leafeon's soft voice penetrated the silence.

"Elda?"

"Yes, Madame Okorizaru?" replied the sleepy Mankey, forgetting the Leafeon's dislike for the name in her drowsiness.

"What if I told you, I was marked by the 'demons', too?"

~o0o~

_Her human body was restored, that much she knew. She walked barefoot through the woods, along the familiar path they took every day. It was odd, she decided, to walk without him. Not heartbreaking... just odd. _

_In fact, she felt no emotion as she wandered to and fro, winding along the pathway that led to the railroad tracks. __She giggled indifferently as she envisioned her emotions locked away in the recesses of her heart. Stopping as she reached the tracks, she noticed for the first time that her dream was in black and white. _

_A pang of loneliness suddenly struck her, and she fell to her knees. The train tracks that had once looked so familiar, now were stained bright red; the only color in the grey, dismal world. The metallic smell of blood filled her nostrils, and she gagged. _

_A little less indifferent now, she envisioned the floodgates bursting forth, and suddenly she was overcome with grief. _

_Trembling, she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. She felt a light touch on her shoulder, and slowly uncovered her face to look up at him. _

_"Daniel," she breathed, tears streaming down her face for an entirely different, happier reason now. _

_"Don't cry over me," he said gently; bending down and cupping his warm hands around her delicate face. _

_He kissed the top of her head lightly, and she smiled contentedly. She closed her eyes, savoring his presence, but his hands left her face all too soon. _

_"Wait," she whispered softly, refusing to close her eyes. _

_When he didn't return, her eyes fluttered open to see him walking away. Her voice sharpening in desperation, she pleaded, "Please, don't leave me again!" _

_He turned, eyes softening sadly as he shook his head. "Take care of yourself, okay?" _

_She nodded, tears falling, as he disappeared. The warmth left with him, leaving the world around her cold, grey, and lifeless. She slowly rose to her feet, dusting off her knees and glancing awkwardly back at the railroad tracks. _

_This action elicited a sudden gasp from her, as she watched the blood seep into the cracked, dry ground. And in its place, to her amazement, tiny white flowers began to bloom. She smiled wistfully, before realizing they formed letters. A name, to be exact. _

_"Kelly," she whispered with a small smile, and she brushed her fingers across the delicate blossoms. She glanced over her shoulder, where the spirit of her lost love had disappeared. __"Thank you, Daniel, for giving me back a piece of myself." _

_The flowers, with their tiny white blooms, seemed to brighten everything around her. The grass turned a lush green, and the sky became a pale blue. She smiled widely as she surveyed the colorful world around her, and realized that she was never totally alone. He was there with her; in her dreams, and memories. _

_Comforted, she began walking back to wherever she had come from. In her temporary happiness, she didn't notice that everything was flourishing with color, except one thing. _

_In sharp contrast to everything around her, the young girl remained a dull grey. Because she was still broken, deep down. _

_And there was only one thing, rather,_ person, _who could make her whole again._

~o0o~

_A month later... _

Humming, Elda walked down the hallway, carrying a tray of Magost berries and a bowl of water to her mistress. Her life had been changed, for the better; and her new attitude reflected upon that.

Although still a servant, Elda now had a friend. Someone who understood her situation, and was shiny like her. Her mistress was kind, and yet powerful, which made her feel safe. Life was as good as it had ever been, for the tiny green Mankey.

She smiled at the guard at the end of the hall, who only grunted in reply. Elda, hardly fazed by his cold reaction, simply continued her melody as she pushed through the moss curtain that had taken the place of the plank as a door.

"Good morning, Miss Kelly," she chirped, setting down the wooden tray easily and smiling at the Leafeon.

"Good morning to you too, Elda," Kelly yawned, before stretching in a rather cat-like manner and glancing at the tray before her.

"Eat up," Elda chided, before shooing Kelly off the bed and fluffing it up. "You've got a big day ahead of you!"

"What's so special about today?" mumbled Kelly groggily, before nudging a Magost berry with her paw; uninterested.

Elda rolled her eyes, "Don't tell me you've forgotten, again."

In truth, Kelly was finding it hard to concentrate. She didn't like to concentrate on anything; until she had eaten, that is. And that morning... she wasn't particularly hungry.

She looked around her at the room, and marveled at how much she had changed the once tiny, blood-bathed, dreary room. She and Elda, together, had washed the blood from the walls. Flowered plants in wooden pots lined the walls, leaving the room smelling like spring and looking cheery. But the room wasn't complete, yet.

"Today, Miss Kelly, you must speak with the elders, concerning the lack of food. As I've stressed _several_ times, winter will be here in a month, and our last gathering wasn't entirely successful."

"That can wait for a while," Kelly said dreamily, gazing at the ceiling. "I want to do something, first."

Elda eyed the uneaten Magost berries warily, before sighing. "And what might that be, Miss?"

Without speaking, Kelly fired off a Shadow Ball attack, at the middle of the ceiling. Elda cringed as the debris pelted her, and then gaped at the hole in the ceiling.

"Have you gone off the deep end, Miss Kelly?" squeaked the Mankey, not knowing what had driven her mistress to blow a hole in the roof.

The guard burst through the moss curtain, nearly ripping it.

"What is going on?" he growled, turning his back on Elda to face his queen. "Are you alright, Madame Okorizaru?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she said curtly, "I am your queen for a reason, Grendel. I can easily take care of myself."

His tense body relaxed slightly when he saw she was alive, and so he quipped, "Aye, Madame, I know this. But I am also your _guard_ for a reason. Please allow me to do my job."

He bowed respectfully, before glancing at Elda and calmly returning to the hall, were he stood out-of-earshot of their conversation.

"I've never seen Grendel act so humble," Elda snorted, before looking at Kelly incredulously and scolding her. "Now, Miss Kelly, what in the _hell_ were you thinking!? You could have blown up the entire ceiling! That wouldn't have washed over well with the elders, let me tell you-"

"It's a skylight," giggled the Leafeon, before gesturing at the gaping hole with a flick of her rigid tail. "I love sunlight, Elda. Plus that, it'll keep the plants alive."

The green Mankey was about to protest, but stopped when she saw how peaceful her mistress looked. Kelly hardly ever looked _truly_ happy. And if a gaping hole in the ceiling made her that happy...

"Nevermind," sighed Elda in defeat, before gesturing at the tray stubbornly. "You'd better eat, at _least_."

The Leafeon nodded, and lay down on her bed before picking up a Magost berry. Her appetite renewed, she nearly inhaled the sweet berry, savoring the flavor and flicking her tail back and forth contentedly. Elda sat down next to her, cross-legged, and took a berry for herself.

As they ate, they stared up at the gaping hole; sunlight streaming in and warming their fur. Neither one of them had to say that they enjoyed each other's company.

They both just knew.

* * *

**A/N: Holy crap, this took a long time to write! Have you noticed my chapters are getting longer!? In your opinion, is that good, or bad? (As in, are they _too_ long now?) Ahem, anyways, I apologize again for the late update. I've been kind of busy driving around town! (It feels great to be free... well, sort of) :D**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	65. Vs Lt Surge

**A/N:ReCap: So, technically the previous chapter was Kelly-centric, but now we're back to following good 'ol Shadow and Co. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Now, in Chapter 63, Shadow practiced his Hyper Beam attack (still failed), we met Snow Sahz (an OC) and his Forretress who gave them some advice, and Erin (another OC) who battled with Leah to help level up her Pokemon. **

* * *

Chapter Sixty-Five:

Vs Lt. Surge

I stretched out in the cool green grass, in the shade of the Pokemon Center. The sun was just beginning to set, and I watched contentedly as color began to streak the sky. You haven't lived until you've seen a Kanto sunset. Sinnoh's couldn't even begin to compare.

After our battle, we had headed straight to the Pokemon Center for healing. Erin had walked down the block to buy more ice cream, as the rest of the group relaxed.

Yawning, I rolled over and saw Lan, staring blankly at me with her bulbous eyes. My instinct was to ask her if she had a staring problem, but instead I decided to be nice and try to converse with the little Chinchou.

"Beautiful sunset, isn't it?"

She blinked incredulously at me, like I was some sort of idiot.

"Hardly," she scoffed. "The red streaks symbolize the bloodshed that dooms us all in the future, and the setting sun means another day of our lives has wasted away into a meaningless abyss, filled with sorrow and woe."

I stared at her, wide-eyed. Needless to say I was a bit creeped out. "That's an... _interesting_ way to look at it."

The Chinchou shrugged indifferently, and I backed away from her, turning to go talk to Claire. However, she was a bit preoccupied.

"For the last damn time, I can't control where I surface with Dig attack!" she snapped at Ace, who was holding his crotch and glaring at her.

"Yeah right," he growled in a slightly higher-pitched voice. "That was a cheap shot!"

Realizing what was going on, I burst into laughter, startling the two Charmeleon from their heated argument. Ace growled at me, before waddling away.

"It wasn't an accident, was it?" I asked Claire sheepishly.

She folded her arms neatly over her chest, and snorted. "What do _you_ honestly think?"

"Judging by your lack of apathy, that was indeed no accident," Dante chuckled.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flicker of movement. I turned away from Dante and Claire, and watched Shelley walking casually away from the group, with Tak perched on her headleaf. Sneaking away, as usual.

I couldn't help but be curious as to what they did when they left. I was about to follow them to find out, when Tyson sidled up beside me. He snorted, and shook his head as he watched the two disappear; headed north of town to the sparse woods.

"I wonder what they're up to," I murmured to the Cranidos.

He rolled his eyes, and chuckled, "You can be_ really _ignorant sometimes, Shadow. They call each other their 'mates'. What _else_ would they sneak off to do?"

Puzzled at first, I tilted my head to the side. Tyson nodded in their direction suggestively, and it finally clicked in my brain. I crinkled up my snout in disgust at the thought. I had always thought they just ran off to talk, or get away from the insanity of our large group. But what Tyson said _did_ sort of make sense...

Disgusted, I shook my head and left Tyson, trying to find Kenya. My overly-enthusiastic 'niece' never failed to cheer me up. But before I got the chance, a distraught looking Metus intercepted me.

"Have you seen Erin around?" he asked nervously, eyes darting back and forth.

"She went to the ice-cream parlor about five minutes ago," I said slowly.

The Umbreon glanced in the general direction uneasily, before hastily thanking me and trotting away from the group. I watched him disappear around the corner, and I frowned. What in the world was he so worried about? But when I asked Ace, he simply shrugged it off.

"Because Metus _loves_ her," Ace gushed sarcastically.

"He _does_ realize she's human, right? And that Pokephilia is illegal?" I asked.

Before Ace could answer me, Lan jumped in. "Metus has this irrational sense of hope that Erin will love him despite all that. His hopes are crushed nearly every day, because she hardly knows he exists."

"He's constantly trying to get her to fall for him. And usually, those little plans of his involve us," added Ace in an amused tone. "I remember one time, it involved ice-cream, pie, and a human costume-"

"Which failed miserably," Lan quipped bitterly, shaking her head slightly. "It was in vain. Erin will _never_ love him."

Ace nodded solemnly, before mumbling something about finding to eat. That left me, and the pessimistic Chinchou alone. She looked me up and down thoughtfully.

"Now that we're alone, may I make an observation?" she asked in a flat tone.

"In regards to...?"

"Your battle-style is predictable, and boring. You lack basic control over your attacks, and your meaningless emotions."

"... Excuse me?" I asked blankly, too surprised by her bluntness to muster up any anger.

"I'm referring to your battle with Metus earlier," she sighed, as if it had been quite obvious and I was just an idiot.

"What the hell is your _problem_?" I growled, her insults finally registering in my head.

"Don't mind her," Ace chuckled as he returned, holding a half-eaten Oran berry. "Lan may be blunt, but at least she's truthful one-hundred percent of the time."

"That's more than you can say for most people," I admitted, though I still didn't really like the little Chinchou. But then again, perhaps that was just my _emotional_ side resurfacing.

"We're back!" Erin proclaimed, Metus glued to her side. "I bought you two vanilla cones, since I didn't really know what you two would want."

"Mommy Erin, Daddy Metus, you're back!" squealed a blue blur as it zoomed past us. Shin, the Riolu, leaped into Erin's arms and sighed contentedly.

I shot Ace a questioning look, and he chuckled. "Did we forget to mention that Shin is the self-proclaimed daughter of those two?"

"Yeah, I think you might have," I mumbled, before leaving them to continue my original task; finding Kenya. I found her hiding behind a large group of shrubs that were planted next to the Pokemon Center.

"Kenya?" I called out, as I shimmied through the bushes and pressed up against the wall. "What are you doing back here?"

"Hiding," she whispered, before peeking out from under the foilage nervously.

"From _what_, exactly?"

"That psychotic little Riolu," she muttered. "I saw her sitting all by herself, looking sad, and alone. I decided to be nice and talk to her, since she was so lonely."

"Well, what's wrong with that?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"One moment, she was all shy and sweet, but then the next, she was demanding me to battle her, and saying something about '_That_ Lucario'. It scared me! But when I tried to run, she kept following me."

I had to try my hardest not to laugh, because I knew Kenya's fear was genuine. However, I found it hilarious that the little Riolu scared her so bad. I was getting cramped behind the bushes, so I jumped out of them and stretched a bit.

"C'mon, Kenya. Just stay close to me, and I'll make sure she leaves you alone. Okay?"

The timid little Luxio nodded, and nervously trotted along beside me. I made sure to keep myself between her and Shin, as I made my way over to Erin, Julie, and Leah. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw that Shelley and Tak had come back during my visit with Kenya.

"-just came from Sinnoh last week," Erin said as we walked over. Metus was curled up protectively beside her, his eyes never leaving hers.

"So, wait a minute. Other than the Thunder Badge, the rest of yours are from Sinnoh?"

Erin nodded, before digging out her badge case and showing them off.

"The first three are from Sinnoh, but after... well, nevermind. I just decided Kanto was a better place to travel," Erin said, her face darkening a bit.

Metus' eyes clouded with concern, and he put a comforting paw on her knee. I couldn't help but wonder what happened back in Sinnoh that was so terrible. I was about to ask, when I heard a raspy voice intervene.

"Her little sister kicked the bucket," Lan said flatly from beside me.

My jaw dropped, and Metus snarled. "Lan! Be respectful! That's not something you just blurt out."

"Well there's no point in sugar-coating it, Metus," Lan grumbled. "It's not like Erin can understand us, and I thought I might as well tell him since he was probably going to ask anyway."

"That's so sad," Kenya whimpered, tail tucked between her legs. Metus nodded solemnly, before leaving Erin's side and coming to sit down next to me.

"Her name was Alicia," he explained. "She contracted Acute Leukemia right around the time we started our Pokemon Journey. When she passed... Erin became depressed. We transferred to Kanto a few weeks ago."

"You know, Erin and Leah are more alike than you think," I murmured, a tinge of sadness on the edge of my voice. "Leah lost her older sister not that long ago, either. She's been struggling to deal with it, but at least she's not openly depressed, you know?"

Metus sighed and nodded again, but didn't reply. We watched the three girls for what seemed like such a long time. We only looked up when Keon and Ace broke out into a fight over Claire. She promptly punched them both in the nose, and then stalked off. Chuckling, I was about to comment, when Metus sighed and spoke up.

"The worst part is, Erin and your trainer won't open up. They have no idea how similar their predicaments are, and they'll never know how close they were to getting empathy from each other."

I agreed, and as I did, Erin rose to her feet deliberately. She said her goodbyes to Leah and Julie, and then called her Pokemon to her side; waving as she walked off in the direction of her hotel.

And so, we were again alone.

Dusk slowly crept across us, bringing with it a chilling autumn wind that caused me to shiver lightly. The sun finally dipped behind a tall building, casting a shadow on us as if to tell us it was time for sleep. Yawning, we all silently made our way inside the Pokemon Center; reflecting on our day of training and dreading the Gym Battle that lurked around the bend.

* * *

The stadium was nearly silent as we walked in, except for the occaisonal snicker and snide murmur. Some of the people booed as Leah approached the platform, but to my surprise she seemed confident and strong.

Lt. Surge stood on his platform opposite us; arms folded tightly across his chest and smirk intact. I heard Leah swallow as she returned his intense stare, never wavering, though I could see her hand trembling slightly.

"I thought I got rid of you yesterday!" he scoffed. "Outgrown your diapers overnight, eh little tyke?"

Leah's face flushed with anger, and the crowd burst into an uproar of laughter. I felt my hackles rising, and a rumbling growl formed in my throat. But, for the first time in ages, it was Leah who reassured _me_.

"Don't let him get the better of you, boy," she muttered as she readied her battle stance. "We've got him this time."

"Voltorb!" yelled Surge, summoning his first Pokemon.

Leah looked down to me and smiled softly. "Alright, Shadow. Remember the plan, and you'll be fine."

I nodded deftly, and gracefully leaped off the platform and onto the Gym floor. Earlier that morning, Leah had discussed her strategy with me. I had it memorized, and was confident in its potential.

"Hey freak," I barked casually to the Voltorb, who's eyes glittered with hate. Yet it made not a sound, as its trainer commanded a Rollout attack.

This was exactly what we had anticipated, and I so I tuned out the jeering crowd, the booming Lt. Surge, and anything else. My narrowed focus was on the Voltorb, and the Voltorb alone. As it gained its momentum, Leah had said I was to use Howl as many times as possible. So, I tilted my head back, and let out a mournful howl.

It seemed to awaken some sort of primal instinct in me, because I felt invigorated as I howled yet again; waiting for the Voltorb to move in to strike. When he did, I turned to face it, standing utterly still. When the Voltorb was nearly upon me, I kicked up a Sand Attack.

The Pokemon hissed as the grit stung its eyes, causing it to slow down enough for me to dodge out of the way, and pelt it with another Sand Attack.

"Get back, Voltorb," Surge coolly commanded, frowning.

"Shadow, Sand Attack one more time! Then use Fire Fang!"

The Voltorb darted in again, and was met with a spray of sand. But this time, he pushed through the sand and collided with me, sending me flailing to the ground with a yelp. The crowd booed and jeered as I stubbornly rose to my feet, refusing to go down that quickly.

I lunged, jaws snapping down on the spherical Pokemon before it could roll away. Flames leaped from my throat, scorching the Voltorb. It let out a weak electrical jolt that made me loosen my grip. Furious he had gotten away, I fired a Dark Pulse in his direction, though the Voltorb easily rolled out of reach.

"Rollout, Voltorb! Then follow up with Thunderbolt!"

"Shadow, do what we planned, okay?" I nodded, and waited until the Voltorb came close before blasting him with another spray of sand.

Following up the Sand Attack, I jumped over him and used Odor Sleuth. A peculiar feeling came over me, and time seemed to slow down as I inhaled the Voltorb's metallic scent. Suddenly, I could predict every movement he would make.

"Now, Shadow! Dark Pulse!"

"Dodge, Voltorb!"

I smirked as the cold, tickling feeling crept up my throat. Lt. Surge must not have known that Odor Sleuth made my attack inavoidable. I fired off the Dark Pulse straight into the air, and the blackish-purple energy surged directly at the Voltorb. When it collided, the Voltorb flew in the air, before bouncing off the wall and rolling to a stop on the Gym floor. It was already showing signs of fatigue, which I silently rejoiced at.

I patiently glanced up at Leah for her next command, when she surprised me.

"Good work, Shadow. You can be finished."

Confused, I hesitated in leaving the arena. But when I saw she was serious, I reluctantly trotted back to the platform and sat next to her, panting.

_"Well that was certainly unexpected! Trainer Walsch just recalled her Mightyena, even though he wasn't seriously injured! Time can only tell if that was a wise move,"_ boomed the announcer in a puzzled voice.

"Leah, I almost had him!" I barked in frustration. "Why the hell did you take me out?"

"You fought well, Shadow," she said confidently as she raised up her next Pokeball, not understanding me in the slightest. "But I have a plan. Trust me, okay?"

I nodded hesitantly as she tossed Keon's Pokeball out, releasing the hardy little humanoid-like creature.

"That wasn't a smart move, kid," Surge hollered. "I'll make you regret it. Voltorb, Sonicboom!"

The pulse of energy blasted Keon, but he didn't even flinch as he darted forward and slammed a fiery fist into the Voltorb.

"Good Fire Punch, Keon. Now, use Leer!"

Keon shot the Voltorb a menacing glare, and his eyes gleamed with malice. The Voltorb flinched slightly, before shaking it off and sending a Thunderbolt Keon's way. The Machop jerked uncontrollably as the electricity struck him; giving Lt. Surge the much needed opportunity to continue his orders to Voltorb.

"Voltorb, regain your momentum. He can't catch you that way. Then, obliterate him with Rollout!"

Keon looked uneasy as he watched the Voltorb begin to circle him, picking up his speed with every fleeting second.

"Stay calm, Keon," Leah commanded, eyeing the circling Pokemon warily. "Use Focus Energy."

Keon nodded, and clenched his eyes shut as he began to glow green slightly.

"Quick, Voltorb!"

He burst from his circling arc; headed straight for Keon.

"Get ready," Leah said coolly, and Keon took a single step back, face set in determination. "Now! Low Kick!"

Keon's leg glowed, and he charged the Voltorb before kicking it like a soccer ball. The powered-up attack sent the Voltorb screeching as it sailed through the air, before slamming into the wall. A large dent appeared, as the Voltorb fell to the ground; unconscious.

The crowd roared with laughter and cheering, as Keon smugly flexed and showed off for them, grinning triumphantly. I had to admit, I was laughing a bit myself.

Surge, angered by his Pokemon's comical defeat, glared at us as he drew his last Pokeball. My spirits were high as the Raichu appeared, as much as I loathed her. Last time, it had taken _three_ Pokemon to take out Lt. Surge's Voltorb. But now, Leah had three capable Pokemon remaining, and if her strategy continued to work, we'd be walking out with a Thunder Badge in no time.

"Raichu, start out with Agility!"

"Keon, just use Foresight!"

The Raichu sprinted circles around Keon, who simply smirked at her as his eyes glinted. Foresight would negate any attempts by the Raichu to heighten her evasiveness, so her running is circles was useless. Lt. Surge knew this, and so he commanded a Slam attack.

Keon was knocked flat on his ass as the Raichu collided with him, but he quickly retaliated with a Karate Chop to the face. The Raichu squealed like the plump rodent she was, and scrambled away. Leah was beaming, and I matched her enthusiastic smile. Things were going great. At this rate, we were sure to win.

"Raichu, Thunder Wave!"

Or... _not_.

The weak wave of electricity struck Keon, causing him to stiffen immediately without being able to move. The Raichu electrocuted him again with a Discharge attack, before Leah could even recall him to his PokeBall.

"I have to admit, I'm surprised you recognized the paralysis!" Lt. Surge jeered, although Leah made a clear point to ignore him.

"Well, I wasn't really planning on that," she muttered, tucking Keon's Pokeball away and drawing Tyson's. "But that's okay. We still have a chance, right?"

I wasn't really sure if she was trying to comforting me, or herself, so I just leaned against her to show I supported her. Although, I had to admit, my former confidence was beginning to fade. It was probably just my nerves, but I had a feeling we were, yet again, going to walk away empty-handed.

Tyson appeared on the field, and stared calmly at his opponent.

"You're dead meat, fossil boy," laughed the Raichu as she awaited further command.

Tyson only growled, his tail lashing from side to side; indicating his annoyance.

"Headbutt!"

"Raichu, Slam!"

They rushed at each other, though Tyson's thickened skull took the force of the Slam attack protected him from any harm. The Raichu squealed in pain, before sending a Thunderbolt to meet the Cranidos in the side. Tyson surprised me by not even flinching.

He used Rock Slide, flinging boulders at the Raichu. She managed to dodge them all, except for one that crushed her to the ground.

"Good work, Tyson! Now use Take Down!"

"Raichu, get out of there!"

She wriggled free, and met Tyson's Take Down with a Discharge attack. He stumbled, allowing the Raichu to use Iron Tail. The super-effective move caught Tyson in a silent scream, and he fell to the ground.

"Tyson!" Leah yelled concernedly, leaning on the rails to see if he was still conscious.

But he managed to struggle to his feet, though he swayed as Lt. Surge ordered the Raichu to use Double Team. As eight different copies surrounded Tyson, he shook his head to try to disperse them. Knowing he had a slim chance of seeking out the correct one, Leah simply ordered Tyson to fling rocks at random ones until he hit the original Raichu.

But before he had a change to oblige, the group of Raichu all rushed at him at once; brandishing silvery tails. Only one of the Iron Tail attacks hit, but it was a critical hit. It slashed Tyson across the back; slicing through his thick, tough hide.

The Cranidos wailed in pain, before collapsing and writhing on the ground. The Raichu smirked, but backed off; thinking he was finished.

"Tyson, return," Leah said solemnly, as she pressed the button on the Pokeball to recall him.

But Tyson's head rose from the ground, and he rolled out of the way of the beam of light; snarling.

"I'm not going to lose _again_!" he roared, shakily gathering his feet beneath him as blood streaked down his back.

I watched in awe as the tiny little Cranidos glowed white, and nearly doubled in size. His tail became longer, and thicker, and the spikes on his head lengthened as well. When the glow faded, our new Rampardos roared ferociously. The crowd was speechless, as Tyson turned his blood-red eyes toward the cowering rodent. With a malicious smirk, he lifted his massive tail, and slammed the Raichu into the ground with it.

"Good riddance, _rat_."

Leah screamed excitedly as Tyson stomped away, leaving the Raichu unconscious and buried in a tail-shaped crater. She leaped off the platform and rushed to the gigantic dinosaur-like creature, and embraced him happily. He was just barely taller than her.

"I'm so proud of you, Tyson!" Leah squealed, hugging him tightly.

"Congrats, Ty," I chuckled, as I looked up at his towering form. "Thanks little man,

" he replied playfully, his voice surprisingly deep, and throaty. "Looks like you're not the biggest one on the team, anymore."

"I can still kick your ass," I growled, for the sake of the playful banter.

"So, kiddo, you got the better of me!" Surge boomed, strolling over and clapping his meaty hand on Leah's shoulder. "Your new strategy was superb. Congratulations, here is your well-deserved Thunder Badge!"

Leah grinned as he dropped it in her hand, and after tucking it away she proudly rubbed me on the head while patting Tyson's new bulky shoulders. As we walked out of the stadium, the three of us, I couldn't help but smile.

But I had no way to know that it only got worse from here.

* * *

**A/N: Woohoo, evolution! ;) So yeah, about the last line with foreshadowing... it IS going to get pretty bad here. Not immediately, but still, pretty soon. Next chapter will be pretty shocking, so I hope. I honestly haven't even thought about starting it yet, so it could be a while. (...again.) Sorry. **

**Until next Chapter...**

**~Shelby**


	66. The Boy in the Picture

****

A/N:ReCap~ Finally beat Lt. Surge, and Tyson evolved into the awesomeness that is a Rampardos! Woot~!

Now, last chapter I said this one would be 'shocking'. Get ready for a cliff-hanger! (Two, actually...) :D

**Oh yeah, one more thing. Today is 5-28-10! Do you know what that means? It's LitM's _BIRTHDAY_! :D Today marks one year, exactly. *throws confetti***

* * *

Chapter 66:

The Boy in the Picture

"Thanks for the battle," Leah chirped, as the teenage girl in front of us grudgingly handed over the forfeit money, and walked away.

Her Sudowoodo weakly shuffled along after her, but not without glaring at Keon. The Machop smirked back at it, his arms folded neatly across his chest. Ever since Tyson had evolved, Keon had been battle-crazed, and working harder than ever.

"Did you see that, Leah? Did you?" Keon asked in a pleading voice as Leah pocketed the money.

"You battled well, Keon," replied Leah, though she had no idea what he had asked.

"If you keep this up, maybe you'll evolve too, just like Tyson!" Julie said encouraginly.

Keon flinched slightly, as if the young girl had insulted him. I was beginning to get concerned. Keon had always enjoyed battling, but not to _this_ extreme.

A few battles ago, Leah called out Kenya to fight a young boy's Vaporeon. But Keon, who had just finished fighting the boy's Slugma, refused to be called back into his Pokeball. He snapped at Kenya that he wasn't 'finished', and beat the Vaporeon to a pulp.

Leah didn't seem to notice, but I knew something was off.

"Don't you think that's enough battling for now, Leah?" Julie asked. "You've been at it all day, and we could all use a rest."

"You're probably right," Leah sighed. "I'm just so excited, Jules! It was such a great feeling to see Tyson evolve. It was like, watching all our hard work pay off. And- well, just come here and see for yourself."

Leah sat down and leaned up against a tree, and Julie joined her. Leah whipped out her Pokedex, and began pressing multiple buttons.

"These are the current levels for everyone," she murmured to Julie, never taking her eyes off the screen. "And according to their species information, all of them are on a high enough level that they could evolve any minute now!"

"Well, except Shadow," Julie giggled, before rubbing my head.

I growled good-naturedly, showing that it didn't really bother me. Bigger didn't necessarily mean stronger, after all.

Leah let everyone else out of their Pokeballs, since we were done battling for the day. No one was very tired, though. It was a good thing we were finally moving away from Vermilion, because the trainers around there weren't experienced enough to pose much of a challenge, anymore.

We were headed east along Route 11, and were going to some bridge that would take us north to Lavender Town. Leah was convinced there was a Gym there, but I wasn't so certain. 'Lavender Town Gym' didn't exactly ring a bell.

"So where are we sleeping tonight, Lee?" Julie asked with a yawn.

"I don't really want to backtrack to Vermilion to stay in the Pokemon Center..." Leah reasoned.

"So we're setting up camp here? Fantastic," Julie grumbled.

I have to admit, I wasn't thrilled with the idea, either. The last time we slept under the stars, a massive army sent by Arceus terrorized us. It made me feel a little vulnerable. I knew that meant I wouldn't get much sleep, if I felt we were in constant danger.

There was no sense in dwelling on it, though, because we had the entire afternoon to relax. And there was one activity that we did in our down time...

"My turn to ask a question!" Claire announced, as we all lounged in the sunshine.

I noticed Shelley and Tak trying to sneak off, and suddenly I was angry. It had been Tak's idea to start the continuous game of Truth, after all. How ironic that they lied to us, and snuck off all the time!

"Hey, get back here you guys!" Tyson bellowed. "You've got to play, too."

Shelley seemed disappointed as she stomped back to the group, but Tak looked indifferent. The rest of our afternoon was filled with pointless questions, with no real purpose other than to pass the time. I actually found myself relieved when darkness crept over us, and Leah finally broke up our game so we could get a full night's sleep.

A tattered tarp was spread out on the ground beneath the tree, and Leah and Julie slept about a foot apart, each in their respective sleeping bags. I curled up at their feet, with the intent of staying awake all night to protect them if needed.

Good intentions only go so far.

* * *

"-gone! Leah, wake up, someone took them!"

My eyes fluttered open, and to my horror, I had drifted off. I jumped to my paws and whirled around, trying to see _who_ had been taken.

Tyson was grumbling and stomping over, rubbing his red eyes with a tightly balled fists. Dante was whistling through his beak as he slept, and Kenya was groggily sitting up, blinking at us in confusion. Keon was up and mimicking my actions, before walking over to Claire and nudging her to wake her up. She growled, and flared her tail so that it scorched him.

So, we were all accounted for.

Except...

"My Pokemon ran away," Julie sobbed as she rolled up her sleeping bag. "We have to go find them, Lee!"

"I know," Leah mumbled as she packed up her own things. "So much for a good night's worth of sleep."

Julie shot her a pleading look, and Leah sighed. "Sorry, Jules, I'm just tired. Of course we'll go find them. We'll just have to split up."

"I'm going with Claire," Keon declared smugly.

"The hell you are," she snarled. "Kenya! Get over here! You're my search partner. A girl can only take being surrounded by so much testosterone so long, before she goes psychotic and kills someone."

"I just _hate_ to intervene as the voice of reason," Dante sniffed, as he rolled over to face us. "But we'd find them a lot faster if we all split up, and searched by ourselves."

"The duck's got a point," I growled, before stalking off towards the woods bordering the Route. If Shelley and Tak had run off to go what Tyson had mentioned the night before, then they would want the privacy of the thick foilage.

"Leah, I'm going to search the woods. Can I take Claire with me, to light the way?"

"That's fine," Leah said softly, digging through her bag and finding a flashlight. "Tyson, Keon, search the woods, too. Dante and Kenya, you can help me search here along the Route. And Shadow-"

She stopped mid-sentence when she saw me stalking off towards the tree line, too angry to be told where to go, or what to do.

~o0o~

Tyson was finding it rather difficult to make his way through the thick woods. He was still adjusting to his body's larger bulk, and he found himself stumbling quite often. His feet felt like deadweights, and his lumbering tail kept whacking trees as it swayed behind him.

"They better not be screwing when I find them," he grumbled, quite annoyed he had been woken up.

He heard a noise to his left, and hunkered down to the ground as close as he could get. He wanted to surprise Shelley and Tak, so that they wouldn't try to run. But to _his_ surprise, a tiny little Rattata scurried out, nearly colliding with the massive Rampardos. It screeched, eyes widening with fear, before scampering off as fast as it could.

Tyson sighed, and rose to his feet yet again. He wasn't so certain about this evolution thing. Was there any way to change back? Because he didn't like everyone automatically assuming he was a murderous monster.

He continued trudging through the woods, being extra careful to keep his tail from whacking trees he passed. Two trees up ahead left a narrow passage, but Tyson figured he could fit through. Apparently his depth perception was off, because his newer, elongated head spikes caught on the trees.

Frustrated with his predicament, and just pissed off in general, Tyson reared his head back, and slammed it into the two saplings. They splintered, and he was about to knock them over with his massive tail, when he heard someone call out behind him.

"Tyson! Hey, wait up, you stupid lummox!" yelled Keon, agilely darting between the trees as he made his way to the giant Rampardos. Tyson turned to face him, curious as to what the little Machop wanted.

"I need you to battle me," huffed Keon, his eyes glinting with sheer determination.

"What- _now_?" asked Tyson, as if that was the last thing he expected.

"Yes now, you prehistoric dumbass!" snapped the Machop, before motioning for Tyson to follow him. The Rampardos was generally good-natured and slow to anger, but the constant insults were fraying his composure around the edges.

"Why do you want to fight me, Keon?"

"I just do, okay? Mew, you act like I'm asking you to take a bullet for me! Now come over here, I saw a clearing a ways back that we can fight in-"

"Quit ordering me around!" Tyson bellowed, the trees quivering from his booming voice. "You haven't done anything but insult me all day! Why the hell should I listen to you?"

Keon was silent; the harshly spoken words seeming to register in his head.

Tyson softened a bit, and sighed. "Look, I don't know what your problem is, but if I battle you, will you stop acting like such an asshole?"

Keon nodded, and explained, "Tyson, I'm the smallest Pokemon on the team. Dante's my exact height, but still! How am I ever going to get respect if I'm this little? Claire will never even give me a chance like this. So I need to evolve. And since you're the strongest on the team..."

"There are two things wrong with that, dude. Number one, I don't like Claire that way. In fact, she scares the living _shit_ out of me. So you can have her, really. And two, I'm pretty sure Shadow is still the strongest. Just because you evolve, doesn't automatically make you the most powerful," Tyson said, as Keon began leading him to the clearing.

Once they were there, Keon paused. "Ty, what you said made a lot of sense to me... but this is just something I've got to do, okay? _Please_. I'm asking you for your help with this."

The Rampardos snorted, his breath a silvery vapor in the cooler night air. Instead of saying anything, he nodded shortly, and charged Keon with a Headbutt attack. The nimble Machop was caught off guard, and took the force of the attack.

He yelped as he fell to the ground, but almost immediately jumped to his feet again and countered with an Ice Punch. Tyson merely grunted; swinging his tail around to whack Keon.

The Machop leaped into the air, just out of the way, and had barely landed when boulders were flung at him. He dodged the entire Rock Slide attack, and darted in to use Karate Chop on Tyson's back.

The super-effective move made the Rampardos roar in agony, his tail lashing from side to side in his irritation. Keon had barely landed, when he drew back his leg and used Low Kick; hitting Tyson at the base of his tail.

Tyson, extremely weakened, resorted to his range attacks so he could keep a distance.

The Rock Tomb attack crushed Keon, leaving him sprawled out on the ground. His breathing was ragged as he shakily rose to his feet. Tyson wasn't faring much better, and was swaying slightly as he stared down the weary Machop.

Keon ran forward suddenly, and the Rampardos made no honest effort to stop him. Keon slammed his icy fist into Tyson's jaw, sending him quickly to the ground, where he again made no effort to get up. What he failed to see, was his friend beginning to glow a soft, silvery-white color.

The light engulfed Keon, as he doubled in size, ending up about the same height as Tyson. His blue-grey skin turned purplish, and red lines appeared on his heavily muscled arms, that made it appear as though his skin had stretched to accomodate his enlarged biceps. But, most notably, was his Power-Save Belt that had formed around his waist.

When the transformation was complete, and Keon emerged a victorious Machoke, he laughed heartily. "Tyson, you did it! Thank you so much, you don't know-"

At that point in time, Keon noticed that his friend was unconscious on the ground. The Machoke shrugged, and then proceeded to heft the massive Rampardos over his shoulder as if he were merely a sack of flour. And then, chuckling with pure excitement, Keon began jogging back to camp.

~o0o~

"Shelley, Tak! Where are you guys?" Julie called out, tears in her eyes.

The borrowed Charmeleon at her side rolled her eyes, and continued ambling along in front of the distraught young girl. Julie was beginning to get on her nerves, with her constant sniveling and what not.

"I just don't understand, Claire," Julie whimpered, as she stepped over a fallen tree branch. "Why would they run away from me?"

The moody Charmeleon offered her no answer, opting to remain silent and keep her thoughts to herself. _Perhaps you drove them insane with your constant whining? _

Julie was about to call out for them again, when a searing pain shot through her head. She yelped, and fell to her knees on the ground as the powerful psychic force prodded her brain. One painful glance at Claire showed that the Charmeleon was going through the same agony she was.

Suddenly, Claire's head snapped up, and she began crawling forward on all four limbs. Julie grimaced, and began crawling after her. Claire was groaning, but managed to keep moving forward.

The psychic force was becoming less painful if she moved due east, she realized, so she increased her crawling speed. When the pain became somewhat bearable, the Charmeleon looked back to see if Julie had followed her.

To Claire's surprise, Julie was right behind her; gritting her teeth and encouraging Claire to keep going. They proceeded a bit farther, when the psychic waves became clearer. Instead of a loud, ear-splitting screeching in their ears, the two began to hear jumbled words. To their shock, it was a telepathic voice.

_"-help me. Over this way..." _

The voice faded out again, replaced with a low buzzing noise. Julie leapt to her feet, ignoring the dull, throbbing headache that plagued her. She ran, stumbling, towards the source of the sound. Claire wasn't faring as well, and was struggling to keep up.

Julie saw the weak figure before it tried to speak again. It was slumped up against a large tree, and was conscious when she reached it. Without Claire's tail flame to provide light, Julie couldn't see what was wrong with the Pokemon before her.

"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly, the throbbing pains subsiding as she tended to it.

The telepathic voice tried to mumble something, but it was incoherent. It finally moaned, and fell forward. Julie caught the lithe creature in her arms, as her eyes filled with tears at the pathetic creature. "You'll be okay," she said softly, as the Pokemon shuddered. "I promise, I will take care of you."

Claire finally caught up, and her flame cast flickering shadows around them. They lit up the Pokemon's face, and Julie gasped at what she saw.

Two empty, blood-caked eye-sockets gaped back at her.

* * *

When I was out of sight of everyone, I shoved my nose into the soil and inhaled deeply. Shelley and Tak's scents mingled with the earthy aroma, and I walked to my left as it got stronger. Julie called out their names, and I trotted along faster. I didn't want her seeing her Pokemon like that... if what Tyson had said was true.

Suddenly, the scent trail lifted, and disappeared altogether. Confused, I retraced my steps to see if they had just made a sharp turn. No such luck.

I continued in the general direction they had been traveling, but to my dismay, I couldn't pick up their trail. I heard a flutter of movement overhead, and saw a Hoothoot land in a tree branch and eye me warily.

"Excuse me!" I barked. "Have you seen a Natu and a Turtwig around here recently?"

It blinked placidly, and then hopped down the length of the branch to point with a feathered wing.

"Thanks," I said gruffly, as I trudged along in the general direction. I hadn't been walking long when I heard murmuring voices.

"-Damn it, I can't get it out!"

"It's been stuck in there for a _long-ass_ time, Tak. Get it out _now_!"

I crouched low, ears flattened as I stalked through the bushes to sneak up on them. My stealthy footsteps went undetected as I peeked through the grass tentatively. Shelley was laying on the ground, with Tak directly behind her.

Normally this awkward position would have freaked me out, but then I noticed what looked like a leather string dangling from beneath her shell. Curious, I watched as Tak grasped it in his talons and began to fly backwards, in an attempt to yank it free.

"Pull _harder_, damn it!" Shelley snapped, as I decided to intervene.

I snarled viciously as I leaped from the bushes, landing a foot away from the pair. Shelley gasped and jerked forward, while Tak squawked and jerked backwards in his flight. This caused the projectile that had been lodged under her shell to pop loose, and go flying into the bushes.

"Shadow? What are you doing here?" Shelley snapped, her eyes narrowing in anger.

"Not funny, that was _so_ not funny!" Tak wheezed.

"I'm not exactly amused, either," I growled, glaring at the two. "You idiots, what the _hell_ were you thinking sneaking off all those times? Because everyone was starting to get suspicious, and now-"

"Like I care what the others think," Shelley grumbled, as Tak fluttered over to the bushes to retrieve the leather pouch.

"Oh yeah?" I snorted, circling her slowly. "Well, I bet you weren't counting on this. Some of them think you two sneak off to... you know. _Do it_."

Shelley's jaw dropped, and Tak jumped to her defense. "Oh, dear Mew, no! You are _way_ off."

"So what _do_ you do?" I barked, before glancing down at the leather pouch in his talons.

"Well, we usually go flying," Tak began, shifting his feet nervously. "But we also try to open this stupid leather pouch."

"And we've failed every last fucking time," Shelley sighed irritably, kicking the pouch for emphasis.

I was utterly confused. "What do you mean, _flying_? And how come I've never noticed that little leather pouch before?"

"Flying, as in soaring through the sky together by using Psychic," Shelley replied. "And you're so dense, that-"

"Shelley!" Tak scolded, before looking up at me apologetically and explaining. "We hid it, because it was like... our secret. When we were around the group, either it was tucked under my wing or it was stuffed under Shelley's shell."

I didn't reply, and instead peered down at the leather pouch.

"I know why you couldn't open it," I grumbled, poking it with a single claw. "It's double-knotted."

Tak began to ask me what that was, but I was more focused on opening it. My curiousity piqued, I gingerly picked it up by the string, and shook my head gently. I could feel the knot loosen, and then I put it back on the ground. Instructing Tak to pull a certain part of the string, I watched as the knot finally came loose, and the strings fell limply to the ground.

"Well, open it already!" Shelley hissed excitedly, nudging Tak into action.

Using his precise little beak, he pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper. A newspaper clipping, to be exact.

"That's it?" Shelley growled, as Tak carefully smoothed out the edges. "_Lame_! I was expecting a diamond, or something rare like that-"

I tuned her out, zoning in on the newpaper article instead. The words were, of course, a random jumble of unrecognizable symbols. But that picture...

It was a family. The man had a stern look on his face, as he glowered at the camera. The woman that stood next to him had long wavy hair, freckles, and a warm smile. A baby Skitty lay cradled in her slender right arm, and her left was extended down to hold the hand of a young boy, around 5 years old.

My eyes filled with burning hot tears, as I stared at the little boy; with his tousled hair, his freckles, and those extremely dark eyes. Realization struck me, and I backed away from the picture, growls involuntarily escaping my throat in my disbelief. The boy in the picture was all too familiar.

The boy in the picture, was _me_.

****

* * *

**A/N: So, any of you shocked? :P State your predictions in your reviews, please! Normally I don't ask for them... but it _is_ LitM's birthday... And I think that would be a nice birthday gift. ;) Yes, I'm shameless. Bite me.**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	67. Blind Faith

**A/N:** **ReCap~ Tak and Shelley ran off in the middle of the night, and so everyone began to chase them. Keon evolved, Julie and Claire found an injured Pokemon, and Shadow made a shocking discovery about his past... :O Speaking of the newspaper clipping, I don't know that all of you _quite_ got the entire signifigance of it. So, here's a little guide that'll help remind you why it's so shocking to Shadow. This is straight out of the forum, so see what you're missing? ;)**

**1.) First of all, Daniel was 4-5 years old when the photograph as taken. Why is this such a shock to him? If you'll remember back to the first chapter, Daniel explained that his _file_ said his parents dropped him at the orphanage when he was an _infant_. :O Do I smell a conspiracy?**

**2.) He finally found out what Silly was lying about. Or, rather, what she just never told him. She was the family pet, before _. She became a stray after _, and ended up roaming the town until the Walsch's took her in. She knew all along what became of Daniel's parents.**

* * *

Chapter 67:

Blind Faith

"This is hopeless," Leah grumbled, as she shifted her flashlight to her other hand and rubbed her arm. She wished she had bought a jacket back in Vermilion, because the autumn nights were beginning to get cooler. And her outfit wasn't exactly meant for chilly weather.

"If Shelley and Tak really ran off, then-"

Leah stopped suddenly, causing Dante and Kenya to nearly collide with the back of her leg.

"Did you hear that, you guys?" she asked as she whirled to face the woods that loomed to her left.

There was a crashing sound, like something huge was running through the underbrush. As the culprit emerged, Leah just gaped.

"Oh, my Mew."

The Machoke didn't even see them as he jogged back to the camp; a massive Rampardos on his shoulders.

"Look, Dante! Keon evolved!" Kenya squealed excitedly, before sprinting away to meet up with them.

Leah laughed in disbelief, before scooping up Dante and running after her. When they reached the tree, Keon was just laying Tyson down. Leah couldn't help but be impressed with his muscular body, and couldn't wait to see how much his strength had improved in battle.

"Is Tyson okay?" she asked, though the happy look on Keon's face signaled his friend couldn't be hurt too badly.

"Yeah, he's fine," Keon chuckled, before nodding his head so his trainer could understand him.

"May I ask what chain of events resulted in this?" Dante questioned, as Leah put him back on the ground.

"I wanted to evolve, so Tyson agreed to help me," Keon said with a shrug, his eyes sparkling with happiness.

"Only so he'd shut up," grumbled the massive Rampardos, as he finally came around. "Mew, Keon, you really are a pain in the ass."

"I guess we had better go find Julie," Leah said abruptly, before motioning to her Pokemon. "Let's all split back up and search the woods. Who knows, maybe we'll actually find them."

Leah couldn't help but grin as she looked at the Pokemon that moved to obey her orders. Her team was shaping up quite nicely. Perhaps she wasn't so bad at this whole trainer-thing, after all.

* * *

"Claire, hold your tail closer," Julie commanded hastily, and the Charmeleon immediately obeyed.

The young girl had been freaked out when she realized the Pokemon's eyeballs had been gouged out. But upon second evaluation, the injury appeared to be old. Very old.

"I've never seen a Lucario up close before," she murmured as she checked his limp form for any fatal injuries.

She found nothing, and was momentarily puzzled. He seemed to be in fairly good physical condition, despite being rather thin. But then again, she didn't have the best lighting. As she looked once again at his face, she noticed his blue and black-furred muzzle was flecked with white and silver hairs. And suddenly, his condition made sense.

He was an _elderly_ Lucario.

"Well that explains a lot," muttered Julie, before scooping the frail Lucario up.

He was surprisingly light in her arms, as she began walking briskly back to the camp. Claire hastily pushed past her, and led the way so her tail flame would light their path.

"He's still breathing," Julie huffed as she stepped over a fallen tree branch. "But I wonder what happened to him? I mean, I'm pretty sure just being old doesn't cause you to keel over and pass out, right? He must be sick..."

"Or it could have something to do with the fact his eyes were carved out of his skull," Claire growled, her harsh tone masking her concern.

The pair hadn't been walking long, when Claire heard something large crashing through the trees.

"Hey, anyone out there?" yelled the gruff voice, and yet Claire recognized it immediately.

"Over here, Keon," she called out, wondering what had brought on the deepening of his voice.

_Perhaps the little bastard hit puberty..._

So naturally, when Keon emerged from the brush, she was quite surprised he had actually evolved. Her eyebrows raised at his macho physique, and Julie's jaw dropped.

"Welcome to the gun show, ladies," Keon chuckled in a lofty manner, before flexing for the two.

Claire rolled her eyes exasperatedly, and turned away to ignore him more effectively. It was only then that the cocky Machoke glanced at the unconscious Lucario Julie was desperately struggling to carry.

"Whoa, what happened to him?" he asked slowly, a little taken aback.

"We don't know," Claire snapped, "but instead of showing off your muscles, perhaps you could make them useful and help carry him back to camp."

"Right, sure," Keon said defensively, before taking the Lucario from Julie and carefully draping him over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Keon!" Julie said. "Now, let's get him back to camp so we can ask Leah what to do. Maybe her Pokedex will have some suggestions."

"You go ahead," Claire grumbled, before stalking off in the opposite direction. "I'll go find bird-brain and bitch-in-a-shell."

"Oh no you don't," Keon taunted. "You're coming back to camp to help us light a fire. I'm sure the others will find them if they're anywhere near here."

"What, you mean your gigantic _guns_ can't create enough friction to start your own fire? You don't tell me what to-"

"Claire, could you come help us get a fire started?" Julie asked, oblivious to the entire argument that had just occurred.

Although Claire knew she should, she was too prideful to listen to Keon now. But when she turned to leave, she was shocked yet again as Keon gripped her by the tip of her tail, his meaty hand passing through her flame unharmed, because she trusted him. Much to her chagrin.

He picked her up without another word, and began following Julie as she carefully led the way.

"Put me down, Keon!" Claire spat, her tail flame flaring out of rage. But he simply ignored her, his eyes resting on the path ahead of them.

"Keon, if you don't think I'll burn you, you're a damn fool!"

"You won't," he muttered confidently.

The amount of faith he had that she wouldn't hurt him surprised Claire, and perhaps that's why she _didn't_ burn his hand to a crisp. She simply narrowed her eyes to slits, and folded her arms defiantly across her chest.

She had a feeling she would regret her kindness later.

* * *

Staring blankly at the newspaper article, I found myself becoming more and more infuriated. So many questions arose from this one photograph.

Where had Tak and Shelley gotten this?

Was that Silly in my mother's arms? If so, why hadn't she told me?

Were those even my real parents? And if so, then why did my file say they had left me at the orphanage as an infant?

If they had lied about this, could they have lied about other things? What if my parents were still alive?

Anger, hope, sadness, regret, and hatred all rose up in me at once, that I suddenly had the urge to cry. I vaguely heard Tak asking me what was wrong, but I ignored him. I knew there was one question that could be answered right away. And at that moment, I longed for a sense of closure, no matter how small.

"Where did you find this?" I barked loudly, my eyes demanding an answer.

"Some Delcatty back in Sinnoh bit the dust right in front of us, and she had this with her," Shelley growled defensively, her eyes flicking over me uneasily.

It was then I realized that I had taken a battle stance, and was snarling at the pair menacingly. My fur was bristled, and my eyes narrowed lividly. Annoyed with myself for getting so emotional and scaring them, I sat down and took a deep breath, and ceased to snarl.

"I'm not mad at you two," I apologized in a controlled voice, my gaze shifting downward guiltily. "I just need some time to think about this."

"Think about what?" Shelley asked bluntly, only to have Tak peck her on the head and mumble that it was none of their business.

I ignored her question, and instead asked Tak to fold up the newspaper article and put it back in the leather pouch. He quickly obliged, seemingly a little gun-shy about upsetting me further.

"I'm going to go find Dante, so he can read this to me. As for you two; get your asses back to camp. Now you have nothing to hide, so there's no reason to run off like idiots anymore. Next time, we won't come looking for you," I said seriously.

Shelley grudgingly nodded at me, and motioned for Tak to perch on her headleaf. His eyes glowed, and then they were in the air; maneuvering easily between the trees. I envied their ability to be so carefree, and happy together.

Disheartened and confused, I sat down and stared up at the thick canopy of trees. After taking a moment to calm down, I barked a single sentence.

"Celebi, if you can hear me... I could really use some answers right about now."

Silence.

_"Well of course I can hear you, Daniel,"_ purred an amused, familiar voice.

I smiled slightly, and my tail involuntarily wagged. But then, I realized I didn't actually see Celebi anywhere.

"Where are you?" I woofed softly, looking all around me and not seeing any sign of her. Time wasn't even frozen, because I could hear forest Pokemon scurrying around in the underbrush.

_"Sinnoh,"_ she said in a muffled voice, seemingly hurried. _"I'm just tying up some loose ends."_

"Are you okay?" I asked apprehensively. "And how you are you talking to me if you're in Sinnoh?"

_"One question at a time, my dear mortal,"_ she chuckled. _"Actually, I'm fine. Just taking care of a little... business."_

"Does this business have anything to do with me?" I asked, a little suspicious.

_"Possibly," she snorted, "But to answer your second question, I'm using telepathy."_

"That's... invasive. And slightly weird."

_"Have you come to anticipate anything less from me? Think of it as a long distance phone call. Or... perhaps not so long distance; I'm passing over Vermilion City as we speak. Be there in a snap."_

I didn't respond, and tried to be patient as I awaited her arrival. A minute later, I heard the humming of her tiny wings, and then I saw her. Time froze as usual as she descended, fluttering a few feet above me.

"Long time no see," I said jokingly, trying to mask my emotional state.

_"No kidding. How's my favorite little human-turned-Pokemon holding up?"_ she crooned, her eyes twinkling with their familiar mischief.

"Like hell," I grumbled, nudging the idle pouch with my forepaw. She peered down at it, and then visibly paled.

_"How did you find that?"_ she gasped, eyes widening. She glanced around as if expecting to see something, or someone. When she didn't, she looked back at me quizzically.

"You know what this is!" I snapped, suddenly infuriated as I saw the recognition in her eyes. "You _knew_ about this, Celebi? And you didn't tell me. What else do you know!"

_"Daniel, let me explain-"_

"No, bitch, let me explain something to _you_!" I spat, relishing the shocked look that crept across her face. "I'm sick of you messing with me for your own fucking entertainment! Now I want answers. Where is Silly? Where are my parents?"

Instead of hitting me, or screaming at me, Celebi surprised me yet again. She took a deep breath, and said patiently, _"Daniel, please calm yourself. I don't know what's in the pouch. I only know that Silly needed to find you, to give it to you. She said it was extremely important. I offered to bring it to you... but she said she needed to see you in person to explain. All I did was give her a Moon Stone, so she'd evolve and be strong enough to survive on her way to you."_

"But I'm in Kanto," I growled. "What did you expect her to do, walk on water to get to me?"

_"Silly left to find you while you were still in Sinnoh!"_ Celebi cried, tugging her antennae in frustration. _"She was supposed to meet up with you somewhere along the way, but she never showed up. I tried to find her, but she just... fell off the radar. I figured she just changed her mind, so I never told you about it. After all the stuff you'd been through..."_

Realization struck me like a blow to the head, and suddenly everything made sense.

"Shelley and Tak found this pouch on a dead Delcatty, when they were in Sinnoh," I whimpered, glancing up at Celebi for confirmation.

She seemed surprised, but nodded slowly. _"That... Mew, that does make sense. Oh Daniel, I'm sorry-"_

"Don't be," I growled, trying to smother any emotion that was rising up in my throat. "I... don't want to think about it right now. I have more questions, and maybe you can answer them."

I motioned to the pouch, and Celebi slowly fluttered down to the ground and picked it up. She reached a dainty little hand inside, and lifted out the newspaper clipping.

_"This is all?"_ she asked curiously.

I said nothing, and instead shifted my gaze down to my paws. She would figure it out once she unfolded it and saw the picture, this I knew. But none of that mattered at that moment... Silly was _dead_. Were these the kind of answers I would continue to get? If so, was it better to remain oblivious to my screwed up past?

_"Oh,"_ Celebi said softly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

She had unfurled the article, and was scanning it with searching eyes. Suddenly, my heart leapt into my throat, and I anxiously jumped up.

"Celebi, can you read?"

She didn't answer immediately, but instead glanced down at me like I was insane.

_"I can touch a shriveled plant and bring it back to life. I can use telepathy, I can fly really fast, and I can predict the future. I can do so much, Daniel, but of course you woud ask me to do the one thing that I cannot do,"_ she said sarcastically.

"A simple 'no' would have sufficed," I grumbled.

_"However,"_ she sighed, _"I do know why this picture is so troubling to you. Your file said you were dropped off as an infant, correct?"_

"Yeah, that's right," I said bitterly. "But you know why else I think it bothers me?"

She cocked her head to the side, confused. Her eyes were so thoughtful, that I had to turn away. The last thing I needed was sympathy. Knowing that she had a reason to pity me would make me feel even more depressed. If possible.

"My entire childhood was spent building up a wall," I said as I turned away from her sympathetic glances. "I didn't have any friends at the orphanage, because I never tried. I devoted every minute of my time to trying to forget that they left me."

I looked up to make sure Celebi was still listening, and she was, of course. She was staring intently at me, waiting patiently for me to continue. I cleared my throat, and obliged.

"I would make up stories that my parents were superheroes, who left me to protect me, and were always watching over me to keep me safe," I said wryly. "But as I got older, I realized my parents were nothing but scum. I vowed that I would find a nice girl, and I would make a family for myself. And they would love me unconditionally, and I would never leave them. I would always be there to protect them. I would give my _life_ for them.

"That promise became my motivation, and I finally began to forgive my parents for what they did to me. But seeing this..."

_"It's a fresh reminder,"_ Celebi finished for me when my voice cracked with emotion. _"Like reopening a closed wound."_

"Exactly," I breathed, surprised she was being so profound. "One little piece of paper was all it took to shatter the wall I spent sixteen years of my life building up. It scares me that my emotional state is that fragile. I just... don't know how much I can take."

_"I'm sorry, Daniel, I really am. But I have an idea. Will you trust me?"_

I shot her a harrowing look, "You ask as if I have a choice. Of course I'm going to trust you. A better question would be, _should_ I trust you."

Celebi rolled her eyes, before flying down and ruffling the fur on my head. _"Take care of yourself, and I'll do my part, okay?" _

I nodded, and she handed the pouch back to me, tied neatly in a knot. She waved, before winking and disappearing in that trademark puff of green, shimmering smoke. I sneezed as it floated down, and then turned away. It was time to head back to the camp, and face Shelley and Tak. They had no doubt told everyone about what happened, so I was sure the whole team knew my business.

"This is just perfect," I grumbled to myself as I began trotting back to camp. "My life is _totally_ screwed up."

I was almost at the edge of the woods when I heard footsteps, and then a voice.

"Hey Shadow, is that you?" yelled Julie, before jogging over to me.

I turned around, and raised an eyebrow at what I saw. A giant Machoke followed after her, whom I assumed was a newly evolved Keon. But that wasn't what interested me most. A limp Lucario was carefully hung from his shoulder, and Claire was dangling from his hand by her tail.

"One word about this, Shadow, and I will torch you," she snarled, her narrowed eyes boring into mine.

My eyes shifted from Julie, to my newly evolved friend, to the seemingly dead Lucario, and then the Charmeleon dangling from Keon's hand. They all smiled at me, with the exception of the dead Lucario, and then resumed their parade out of the woods.

"Totally and _completely_ screwed up," I muttered, as I followed them back to camp.

**

* * *

**

A/N: Yeah, this chapter was mostly dialogue. :/ I'm sorry about that. A chapter like this should have been better quality, but in all honesty, I'm rushed. I leave for Wisconsin tomorrow on a mission trip with my church, and I've been limited by my parents to one hour of computer time a day, whereas normally I was on for hours at a time.

So an hour to check e-mail, Facebook, PMs, read chapters of stories, and of course work on this. I'm really sorry. Updates may even become less frequent. But they won't stop all together. I will continue! *salutes*

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	68. On the Road Again

**A/N: It's been a long time, and yes, you have every right to hate me for that. But I'm beginning to freak out a little bit about this story; scared it's not going to live up to expectations, I suppose, and the farther behind I get the more discouraged I feel about it. Expect updates to be few and far in between. Please- just be patient with me as I work through this... whatever it is. Writer's block? Perhaps. But a severe case of it, for sure. **

**I want to thank SorenLovesHolly for giving me some good pointers, and helping get rid of the writer's block long enough to finish this chapter. Also, Finalsmasher13, for always having something kind to say. I don't like sappy shit... but thanks, to both of you. You helped more than you may realize.**

**ReCap~ Celebi visited Shadow and we got a few things explained, found out that Silly was the Delcatty that died in front of Shelley and Tak, and that the half-dead, blind Pokemon Julie found is an elderly Lucario. **

* * *

Chapter 68: 

On the Road Again

Upon arriving back at the camp, we were all submerged in a flurry of activity as Leah and Julie tried to help the Lucario. Although I pitied him, the selfish side of me couldn't help but be grateful. His arrival had kept me busy, and forced my thoughts away from my parents.

While the Pokemon with opposable thumbs helped crush Oran berries for him, I stood watch over the old Lucario, along with Kenya. Julie had recalled Shelley and Tak to their PokeBalls upon their reunion- for fear of them running off again in the confusion, but not before I had slipped Shelley the leather pouch for safe-keeping.

I could only look at the Lucario so long, before my digust got the better of me and I had to turn away. His eyes... Mew, they creeped me out!

"Do you think he'll be okay?" Kenya sniffled, before glancing up at me expectantly.

I hesitated, not knowing whether to be truthful and make her cry now, or lie and make her cry later when the old Lucario croaked.

"Uh... to be honest, I don't know, Kenya," I said quickly, hoping to avoid the subject of death with my cryptic answer.

But, being the nosy little Luxio she was, she prodded. "Like... what are his chances, on a scale of one to ten?"

I was about to make a cynical remark, but then I made the mistake of looking at her, in all her glorious innocence.

"He'll be fine," I finally said, earning a grin on her behalf and a kick in the side from my conscience for lying.

"Look out," Julie snapped as she pushed by me, her water bottle filled halfway with Oran juice.

She tilted the Lucario's head slightly, and poured it in. There was a brief moment of tense silence, before he sputtered a little, and then swallowed. His nose twitched, and he groaned a little before sitting upright.

"You're okay!" Julie squealed, before pulling him in for a lopsided hug; careful to avoid his chest spike.

"So tired.." he muttered, rubbing the side of his head gingerly, before nodding in Julie's general direction to confirm he was alright.

"Hi there!" Kenya said from behind me, before pushing forward to get a better look at our guest. "I'm Kenya. What happened to your face?"

"Kenya!" hissed the rest of us in unison, embarassed she would bring that up first thing. But to our surprise, the Lucario chuckled softly.

"It's a long story, young one. Perhaps I will tell you, in time. But for now, I would like to see the faces of those who helped me."

Claire and I shot each other a confused look, but it was Kenya who again asked the question we had all been wondering about that.

"Well Mr. Lucario, how are you going to do that? You don't seem to have any eyeballs!"

Again, the Lucario chuckled, and offered up a wan smile. "How about I show you?"

The Lucario's dreadlocks suddenly rose in the air; embued with a blue energy. He shut his eyesockets, and then they snapped open again; revealing two swirling spheres of blue aura in place of eyes.

"Ah, that's better. There's quite a large group of you."

"So you can really see us," Tyson snorted doubtfully, with a smirk that showed he clearly didn't believe him.

"Yes. But by your tone of voice, you obviously think I'm lying. Allow me to prove you wrong," quipped the Lucario, before looking at all of us.

"Two young humans, a Rampardos, a Luxio, Charmeleon, Machoke, Psyduck, and a Mightyena. A Pokemon team, I presume?"

Tyson's jaw dropped, and he muttered, "How the hell did you _do_ that?"

The Lucario shifted his weight, and the blue aura wavered slightly. "Lots of practice, and lots of energy. Using my aura, I can see outlines of objects and people, but I can't see colors. Just different shades of blue."

"That's amazing," Claire whispered.

I wanted to agree, but I still didn't know if I trusted him. Claire had said he spoke to her and Julie telepathically... so, could he read minds, too? What was a Lucario doing in Kanto? And, most importantly, why the hell were his eyes gouged out?

"Well, you're healed now," I barked, stepping forward and staring at his chest spike instead of his... freaky aura-eyes. "So you might as well get acquainted with everyone. I'm Shadow."

His gaze shifted to me, and he nodded ever so slightly. _"I am called Bruce." _

I jumped a little as I realized he hadn't moved his mouth, and that the voice was in my head. He had used telepathy, just like Celebi had earlier. I was about to ask why, when Julie piped up.

"Bruce? That's a weird name. I was going to name you Randolph."

At first, we just glared at Julie for her atrocious naming abilities. But then...

"Please tell me I'm dreaming," Leah stammered quickly, her eyes squeezed shut tightly. "Please tell me I'm _not _going absolutely bonkers, and that I did _not_ just hear that Lucario talk in my head."

"Nope, he's talking in my head, too!" Julie exclaimed proudly, before pulling out a PokeBall and grinning wickedly. "And that's why I'm going to catch him- Plus that, he needs our help. Bruce, do you want to come with us?"

I was still blown away at the fact that they had understood him. This opened up a whole new window of opportunities- he could translate for us! I could tell Leah who I was...

_"Normally, I would decline,"_ the old Lucario murmured softly in our heads. _"But I realize I am aging... and that I am not as capable as I used to be. Although age is a matter of feeling, not of years... I accept."_

Julie squealed with excitement, and Leah continued to gape. As the elderly Lucario was sucked into the void of the PokeBall_,_ I found myself wondering where this would lead. I had never even considered the _possibility _of being able to talk to Leah.

Should I even tell her I was her dead sister's best friend? It just didn't seem fair to her, to bring it up...

And so, I decided. I would keep my identity a secret.

* * *

When I first met Bruce, I was skeptical to say the least. I had no idea what he had been through, or how close I would grow to him in the short time I knew him.

But as I remember back to that first day, when I was unsure of where he stood, I'm ashamed to admit I judged him. Judged him unfairly, just as I accused everyone of judging me. Here was a Lucario, blind, and yet so amiable. So... humble.

I naturally assumed he had caused gotten in some sort of trouble that was self-induced. I mean, why else would someone gouge out his eyes? Perhaps that's why I was so apprehensive. But more on that later.

We had been traveling relentlessly- once we were sure Bruce had the strength enough to continue onward. No one questioned him about why he had been half-dead in the woods anyway; it seemed a bit too touchy of a subject for someone we had only just met. Even Kenya kept her discretion in check, much to my surprise.

It may have been out of respect that we didn't question him, now that I think about it. The silvery-grey hairs covering his muzzle, and his frail appearance made me feel like I was talking to my grandfather. Not that I'd had one to speak of.

He was odd in his mannerisms, and unnerving. Although I knew he saw nothing but an outline of me, it was like his aura enabled him to stare right through me, to my soul. Childish, perhaps. But could you blame me?

Leah had been a little jealous, that her friend has caught such a rare Pokemon- even if he was blind, old, and virtually useless on the battlefield. Or, so I thought at the time.

"I still can't believe Leah and Julie haven't realized he can translate for us," Keon grumbled, seemingly annoyed that Bruce was getting all the attention.

"I concur," Dante muttered as he waddled up next to him.

"You'd think that, after all this time, they'd be _dying_ to know what we're thinking," Claire added, her voice a terse whisper. "I mean, hell, don't they think we're interesting?"

"They're just dumbfounded they found a talking Pokemon," I said quickly, not sure why I was defending him. "It'll pass, and they'll remember we're here."

Tyson, Keon, and Claire all glared at me, so I hastily added, "Besides, he'll probably die soon, anyway."

"Funny you should say that," chirped an unfamiliar voice, that caused me to jump nearly a foot in the air, whether from fear or embarrassment, I don't care to remember.

To my horror, Bruce was standing over me, his lips pulled back in an amused grin. "A wise creature once told me, that death is only a deep slumber-"

"A wise creature that heard it from the other _million_ who already figured that out," snorted Tyson.

The amused grin vanished, and was instantly replaced with a scowl and a sharp chastisement.

"That will be enough from you. You basically said you wished I was dead. The least you can do is hear me out," snapped the Lucario, his agitation showing through for the first time. Tyson immediately obeyed, and the Lucario shook his head before continuing his thoughts.

"If death is truly a deep slumber, then why fear it so? We spend half of our lives asleep anyway- and that's not something we typically fear. If death is like a never-ending sleep, then we've just spent our lives practicing."

"That was so insightful," Kenya said, a hopeful grin indicating she wished we would all stop fighting.

"And yet, I find myself wanting to vomit," Keon grumbled, before pushing past Bruce to walk next to Julie.

"It seems I'm not so welcome among some of your group," Bruce murmured to me.

"We'll adjust," I said quickly, before adding, "They're just a little jealous of all the attention you're getting."

Bruce nodded in understanding, just as we heard a squeak from Julie. "Oh my gosh you guys, _look_! We get to walk on the boardwalk!"

Sure enough, the grassy region was left behind us as we began walking on the wooden planks. No one spoke much- other than the girls, who were excitedly watching the Magikarp and Goldeen who swam along the boardwalk.

Claire clung to Leah's leg, and yelped any time a fish splashed water nearby.

"Getting splashed won't kill you, you know," I said as I sidled up next to her.

She offered up a sour glare, before growling, "Yeah, well getting your tail burned to crisp won't kill you either, but it'll hurt like hell. Get my point?"

"Wow, she told you," Tyson laughed.

I fell silent, and just listened to everyone else talk. As much as I wanted to forget the leather pouch... I just couldn't focus on anything else.

The boardwalk twisted around, and branched off in many places to form conveiniant fishing areas. We stuck to the main path; heading due north. It wasn't long before a ridgeline appeared on the horizon, and the rocky areas parted to reveal a small town.

"I see Lavender Town," Leah said. "Which is awesome- I could really go for some lunch right about now."

We all voiced our agreements, and picked up the pace a little.

"I also want to take Bruce to the Pokemon Center, to give him a checkup," Julie added.

"I think _all_ the Pokemon could use a checkup," Leah agreed. "And after lunch, I believe we are due for some training."

"Oh come _on_," I groaned, before rolling my eyes. "We've been walking all day, Leah. Can't we just relax, and explore a little bit?"

Leah glanced down at me when I barked, before smiling slowly and looking up at Bruce.

"Could you translate for me?" she asked excitedly.

_"Of course, Miss Leah. Shadow simply said that he's tired, and would like to relax and take a look around Lavender Town today. I hear it's a beautiful town,"_ he added for good measure.

"Oh. Is everyone else sick of training?" Everyone loudly agreed, and she blushed a little. "Well, then... after lunch, we'll look around."

We stopped at the town's gates, and it was Dante who commented this time. "My word, this is a quaint little town."

"It's so... _feminine_," Keon complained, before shuddering as if it was the most horrible thing he had ever seen.

"I think it's pretty," Kenya giggled, as she pranced along the light purple flagstone that paved the streets.

All the houses were different shades of purple- as were the fences, streetlamps... everything was drowning in purple hues. The only other color visible were the green leaves on the plants; lavender bushes, of course.

"I feel like Barney came and threw up on this town," I muttered, earning curious glances from everyone. "What?"

"Uh, Jules, are you _sure _there's a Gym in this town?" Leah questioned, her nose crinkled up as she surveyed the town.

"I dunno," Julie mumbled, before pointing out the Pokemon Center. "But that's our first stop. We can get lunch, and get the Pokemon taken care of."

_"We can also ask about the Gym,_" Bruce suggested. _"Although I haven't seen one to speak of." _

After all of us were healed, we gathered around one of the numerous tables in the lobby and waited. Julie was pacing the floor nervously, as Nurse Joy examined Bruce in the back room. Leah sat in a chair, facing the door, and drumming her fingers on the table with impatience.

The Nurse Joy had informed us that Lavender Town didn't have a Gym, and that the nearest one was in Saffron City. Go figure.

Keon sat across from her, looking nearly as irritated as Leah. Claire was leaning up against the chair leg, dozing off. Tyson, who was too big to be in the Pokemon Center, was in his PokeBall. Dante was blankly staring off into space, and Kenya was walking around trying to cheer everyone up. And, not surprisingly... failing.

"Miss Walsch?" called the Nurse Joy. "I'd like to speak to you about your Lucario."

"My Lucario," Julie whispered tersely under her breath, before stalking into the back room.

"You guys stay here," Leah instructed us. "We'll be right back."

So naturally, I rose to my feet and trotted along after her.

"Dante!" I barked over my shoulder. "You come too."

"Me?" The Psyduck inquired, jabbing his thumb into his tiny chest. "What do you require my prescence for?"

"You can decipher all the scientific jargon," I explained. He rolled his eyes, and waddled along after me.

"I am not your personal translator, Shadow," Dante huffed indignantly.

"Right," I scoffed, rolling my eyes as we came into the examination room. Bruce was sitting on a shiny aluminum table, looking very displeased.

"Please, sit," the Nurse Joy said softly, motioning at the two chairs to her right.

"Now, he was suffering from a lot of common ailments. Malnutrition, and dehydration- among other things. But the reason he was unconscious is because of this." She pointed to the screen on her computer, and both girls squinted to see it.

"It's an x-ray of his chest," Julie said, before shooting the nurse a pointed look. "So what is _that_ supposed to tell me?"

"Your Lucario has heart disease. It's quite common, in Pokemon of his age. The loss of consciousness was due to angina."

Both girls flinched at the word, and my eyes widened a little.

"You perverted twit," Dante hissed. "It means he was experiencing extreme chest pain."

"That's chest pain," Nurse Joy said quickly, unknowingly echoing Dante's explanation.

Leah swallowed deliberately, and then looked up at Nurse Joy. "How much will it cost to treat him?"

"There's really no treatment, unfortunately. The damage done over time is too extensive. However, I can give you some preventative medicine that should help lessen the symptoms. It actually shouldn't cost much at all. Now, about his other... _unique_ injuries. It appears his eyes were gouged out at a young age, so it's an old injury. It shouldn't cause him any further complications- other than those he's already overcome."

Julie smiled with relief, and expressed her gratitude to the young nurse. Bruce was unhooked from the machines, and slid silently to the floor. His head hung a little, and he seemed almost... _ashamed_ of his condition.

But, I barely knew him. So instead of asking if he was alright, I simply trotted alongside Leah- out the door, and back into the lobby.

"So, what do you think they'll do for his condition?" I asked Dante in a hushed voice, not wanting Bruce to overhear.

"An inexpensive way to lessen the effects of heart disease, is to put him on an aspirin regimine," Dante explained. "If my memory serves me correctly, that is."

"Your damn memory _always_ serves you correctly," I snapped playfully. "And how the hell do you know that?"

The Psyduck shrugged passively, and ignored the question altogether.

"Let's go get some lunch, everyone," Leah announced, before walking out the Pokemon Center doors.

"Finally," Claire grumbled, "I'm starving."

"You're always hungry," I growled jokingly, before trotting ahead of the group.

As our large group migrated to the sidewalk, I couldn't help but cast a glance back at our newest traveling partner. A secretive, telepathy-using, blind, elderly, and heart disease-ridden Lucario.

Why did we always end up with the strange ones?

* * *

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry for how long it took. Thank you for your patience... and hopefully this next chapter won't be so hard to write. Feel free to PM me if you've got any questions for me. Or, review. :) We're going on 400! And _that_ definitely motivates me.**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	69. Realm of the Dead

**A/N:** **ReCap~ We met Bruce; the blind Lucario, found out he can communicate with humans, and arrived in Lavender Town.**

**Hi everyone! Guess who's back and really excited to get this chapter posted? :D I hope you enjoy it, because a lot of work and frustration went into the making of this chapter. Maybe that's why the end of it got sorta... violent. *grins sheepishly* Enjoy~!**

* * *

Chapter 69:

Realm of the Dead

After lunch, we set out to explore the many wonders of Lavender Town.

"Well, that took all of five minutes," Leah said sarcastically as we walked past the radio station. "There's nothing _in_ this town."

"We could go back to that one store," Julie suggested. "Who knows? Maybe they would have had some nice clothes..."

"There is no way I'm wasting my hard-earned money in a store called 'Pretty in Purple'," Leah scoffed.

"Shame they will not allow us to enter the radio station. It would thrill me to no end if I were granted the ability to examine their equipment, and-"

"Dante!" I interrupted with a short bark. "You're overlooking one minor detail. No one gives a shit."

He narrowed his blank eyes at me, but only grumbled before waddling away from me.

"Look guys, I know we're all lazy and sick of training... but it beats wandering around this boring town," Keon said seriously.

"Let's sing a song to pass the time!" Kenya chirped, earning a glare from everyone, excluding Bruce.

"What's this place?" Julie asked, pointing at a large building with a dome-shaped roof. Flower beds thrived all around it, and a stone pathway led up to the door. A man brushed by us, wearing a black robe and hanging his head morosely.

"I dunno," Leah said apprehensively. "But there's a sign next to the door. Let's go see."

As we approached the ominous building, I felt an odd tingling going up my spine. "This place is creeping me out," I muttered to Tyson.

"I know, dude. It feels all... supernatural," he replied.

"House of Memories," Julie read, "May Pokemon spirits rest easy." She snorted, and shifted her travel bag to her other shoulder. "That's the cheesiest sign I've ever read. Is this supposed to be some kind of mass grave for Pokemon?"

"Sounds like it. Let's just skip it, okay? This isn't supposed to be depressing. There's nothing here in Lavender Town. What we need to do now, is-"

Leah froze, and at first I thought she had been surprised by something. My hackles raised slightly as a reflex, before I noticed a few moments later that _everyone_ was frozen in place. I immediately tensed as Celebi materialized in front of me. I shot her a cautious glance.

"That didn't take long."

_"Please, hold your applause,"_ she snorted sarcastically with twinkling eyes. _"You're either going to love me or hate me after this."_

"After what?" I queried, my curiosity picqued.

_"Come with me,"_ she sighed, before floating to the doors of the building in front of us.

"What- in there?" I asked incredulously. "It's supposed to be a mass grave. That's just... creepy."

_"Stop being a baby, Daniel,"_ she quipped. _"A lot of work went into this. I had to ask a few favors, which, given my pride issue... sucked. Now are you coming, or not?"_

I hesitated, but eventually gave in and trotted to the doors with her. She opened the door slowly, and only wide enough that I could barely slip through the opening.

The sliver of sunlight invaded the gloomy darkness that settled over the large room; the only other sources of light being a few strategically placed clusters of candles, and a few stained glass windows. The eerie lighting only added to the macabre surroundings, and I shivered slightly as I padded along after Celebi. The cement floor was cool beneath my paws, but it was surprisingly clean. Large concrete headstones and memorials were spaced evenly throughout the large room, with thatched grass mats in front of them.

People of all ages were kneeling on the mats- their heads bowed in respect for the Pokemon that were lost to them. One woman in particular, an elderly lady with her hand gingerly placed on a memorial, tugged at my heartstrings. A single tear ran down her withered cheek- frozen in time just like everything else.

I swallowed hard, and resumed following Celebi through the rows of mournful people. Being in a place like that really made it hard to forget the friends I had lost.

Celebi stopped in front of a particularly tall memorial statue, and I could contain my curiosity no longer. "Celebi, I don't see how this is going to get me answers-"

I immediately shut my mouth as she pushed the grass mat aside, to reveal a trap door.

_"This is why you need me along with you,"_ she chuckled. _"You never would have found out about this without me. C'mon, we're going in."_

"Down there?" I squeaked, sounding a lot less masculine than I would have liked. "What's in there- rotting corpses? Seriously, Celebi, you need to tell me what's going on."

She rolled her eyes at me, and floated down the darkened stairwell without answering. I hesitated momentarily, before carefully moving down the stairs after her. To my surprise, the long, narrow chamber we entered was well lit- not to mention bare of corpses, at least in plain sight.

_"Many people bring their Pokemon here for burial,"_ Celebi explained, her hushed voice echoing down the endless tunnel. _"Since there are so many, the owner of this place built these burial chambers to create enough storage space. According to legend, the spirits of the Pokemon are in a deep slumber- until a person mourning them stops at their memorials. Then they reawaken, and reunite with their visitors briefly."_

"That's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard," I scoffed.

She narrowed her sapphire eyes at me slightly, before folding her arms neatly across her chest and raising an eyebrow. _"Bullshit, eh? Giratina certainly believes it. In fact, he is the one I went to for assistance."_

I crinkled my nose up in confusion, "Whoa, wait a minute. Giratina, as in 'gate keeper to the realm of the dead, super creepy bat-dragon looking thing'? _That_ Giratina? You asked _him_ for help?"

_"Well, duh. We're in a hallway that branches off into multiple chambers used for body storage. Don't you think these macabre surroundings are included in Giratina's area of expertise?"_

"You make a valid point," I sighed resignedly. "Which brings up my next question. How the hell is this going to get me answers about my parents, Celebi?"

When she didn't reply, I glanced over my right shoulder and was surprised to see she wasn't there. I whirled around, trying to find her in the chamber that seemed to be getting darker with every passing second. Once I was surrounded by absolute darkness, I called out to Celebi. My bark echoed down the tunnel, and I heard a voice from behind me.

"Oh, Daniel. She can't hear you right now. You've crossed over into the realm of the dead," purred the voice, and I slowly turned to see a Delcatty. She was sitting peacefully, with her eyes closed, as she groomed her front paw with a gentle tongue. My tail wagged at the sight of her.

"Silly! Oh my Mew, I thought I would never see you again!" I trotted over to hug her, but to my surprise I ran right through her. I looked at her incredulously and she chuckled.

"I'm not really here, Daniel. This is me talking, but the Delcatty you see before you is only a figment of your imagination. An embodiment of what you view me to be."

"That doesn't change anything," I said quietly. "Silly... I have so many questions-"

"And I have something to tell you that will answer the majority of them," she said softly, her mirthful eyes softening with sympathy.

"But you might want to sit down. It's a long story..."

* * *

Two liquid brown eyes flicked over the landscape uneasily. The Ninetales crept from alley slowly, her lithe body silent as she slipped from shadow to shadow. Her head was ducked low, and her plumage of tails swished behinid her as she stealthily continued on her way.

The light, practiced footsteps of the boy at her side went unnoticed by the group of Rocket Grunts who were guarding the building. He drew his weapon- the blade glinting in the moonlight as he gave the hand signal to his Pokemon, and stepped into view.

"Evening fellas," he drawled cockily, his dagger hidden behind his back. The Ninetales sat at his side, her pristine beauty betraying her power.

The three Rocket Grunts stopped their conversation abruptly, and stared at the duo with mild interest. The boy hardly looked a day over 20- his wavy brown hair messily combed to the side, and his faded blue sweatshirt telling them he didn't have much money. He hardly posed a threat, or so they thought at the time.

"Get lost, kid," the tallest of the three Grunts said warningly. "We're doin' business here."

The boy smirked at the men, but laughed easily. "Aw, now _that's_ no way to treat a fellow citizen! Whatever happened to being polite to strangers?"

The Grunt chuckled darkly, before rising to his feet and pulling a gun; the cool metal barrel pressed against the boy's forehead. "Seriously. You might want to get lost. Before my boys and I are forced to do something not-so-nice to you."

Wes smiled, which unnerved the guard. This kid wasn't even afraid when staring down his own death. So, the Grunt cocked his gun, and snapped his fingers at his two companions. They drew their weapons as well, and one of them pointed their gun at the snarling, apprehensive Ninetales.

Wes' face immediately turned from playful, to cold and calculating. His fingers tightened their grip on the handle of the dagger, and he gritted his teeth. Suddenly, with Grace being threatened- it wasn't all fun and games anymore.

"You better get going," the Grunt teased in a sing-song voice. "But first, hand over your Ninetales' PokeBall. She'll be coming with us."

"Actually, that's where you're wrong," Wes laughed coolly, sending shivers down the Grunt's back. As abruptly as it had started, his laughter ended, and a dark glare settled across the boy's face as he snapped his fingers.

A low hum filled the air, as the three guns were flung from their owner's hands and clattered against the magnets of a lone Magneton; whom had been floating unnoticed a few yards away. Shocked that his weapon had been yanked away by the Magneton's magnetic field, the lead Grunt raised his fist and attempted to slam it into the boy's face.

Wes immediately whipped his dagger out from behind his back, and plummeted it into the lead Grunt's throat before the fist could hit its target. He let out a gurgling sound as he choked on his own blood, and sank to the ground.

Lacking weapons to defend themselves, the other two guards tried to flee. The Ninetales pounced on the nearest guard, and snarled as she sank her teeth into his arm. He screeched in pain, but was easily subdued with a cuff to the head. Grace pulled the unconscious Grunt over to her master's feet, and then sat and watched as the third Grunt attempted to esape.

He tried to run, but a psychic force lifted him off his feet and sent him careening into the wall. He yelped, but somehow broke free of the Alakazam's psychic powers and continued running. When he approached the end of the alley, Wes smirked as he heard a scream and watched the Grunt ran straight into the massive Nidoqueen.

She roared menacingly, and picked him up by his throat, before throwing him to the ground. He groaned, but lay still. The young trainer nodded in approval, and kicked open the door to the warehouse they had been guarding.

"Excellent work, you guys. But Uno... next time focus your energy on his legs, so that you can immobilize him without wasting your energy on his entire body. And Anne, I know you like to be intimidating, but the roar isn't necessary. We're trying to go unnoticed here."

The Nidoqueen grumbled her displeasure, but nodded as she slung the limp Grunt over her shoulder and walked closer. The Alakazam merely nodded curtly- acknoweledging his mistake and making a mental note of how to fix it.

Wes ran his fingers through his hair wearily as he drug the dead Rocket Grunt behind a dumpster, and then removed his thin cloth gloves. "Grace, a little help?"

The Ninetales calmly strolled over to him, and torched the gloves with a short blast of Flamethrower. He rubbed her head approvingly, and then stepped over the two unconscious Rocket Grunts to make his way over to the Magneton whom had been silently watching the exchange.

Wes smiled kindly at the Pokemon, as he grabbed the guns and pulled them away from the horseshoe magnets.

"Excellent work, Gyro. I think you'll become an important part of the team."

Gyro hummed his pleasure, and floated over to the group of Pokemon he had come to know. Wes grimly took the weapons, found the most suitable of the three, and emptied the barrels of the other two. He opened his knapsack to store the extra ammunition, and then calmly walked over to the dead man and pulled the dagger from his throat. He wiped the blade on the man's uniform, before sheathing it and sighing.

"I'll be glad when this is all over, Grace," he admitted as he recalled Gyro and Uno. He looked upon the dead man, and shook his head with a small sliver of remorse. "But I made a promise," he said, hardening his demeanor as he walked over to the two remaining Grunts. "And I intend to keep it. Anne, grab those two, and follow me."

Grace walked in perfect sync with him, her ears twitching at every sound as they entered the warehouse. After Wes was certain that they were alone, he began rummaging through the rusty file cabinets and found nearly one hundred PokeBalls- he assumed all had been stolen.

He glanced back when he heard one of the Rocket Grunts groan, and he calmly strode over to them and smirked as they came around.

"Good morning, sunshine," he sneered to the Grunt who gaped at him. "I hope you enjoyed your nap."

The Grunt glanced around desperately, as if seeking an escape route. Wes stifled his laugh, and gestured at the door.

"Forget it, pal. One sudden move and my Ninetales will torch you."

The Rocket Grunt paled visibly, and held his hands up shakily in surrender. With his face in the light, Wes could see that the Grunt was about his age- young, and terrified.

"Please, just shoot me!" pleaded the teenage boy.

"Shut up," the older Grunt grumbled. "Try to go out with some dignity."

"No," the petrified boy sobbed, his voice becoming shriller. "Don't you know who this guy is? He's the one who took down the alternate base last week. The one who tortured them for information, and then set the place on fire so they all burned to death!"

He turned to Wes, who was polishing the blade of his dagger methodically. "Please, have mercy on me. I only did it for the money! I never hurt anyone- I swear! Please, j-just do it quickly."

"I'm not going to kill you," Wes snickered softly. "Not yet, anyways. First, I need some information." He rose from the chair he had been sitting in, and strolled over to them casually. "Allow me to be direct. Where is Antonio Greenwall?"

The older Grunt tightened his jaw, and then spat at Wes. "Go to hell. I'm not going to rat out the boss."

"And nothing I say could convince you otherwise?" Wes questioned. When the Rocket Grunt shook his head, Wes simply shrugged. "Alright. If that's the way you want it..."

Quicker than lightning, Wes drew the gun and blasted the man in the back of the head. Grey brain matter splattered the side of the younger Grunt's face, and he vomited as his body trembled uncontrollably.

"They don't tell the newbies anything," he choked out, "they keep us in the dark until we complete the initiation, so they know we aren't squealers. But I know we were headed to Saffron for some mission. They kept talking about the main base. Please, have mercy. I've told you everything I know!"

Wes studied the boy for a minute, and then scratched his back with his dagger and smiled. "Actually, I believe you. But, I'm afraid I can't just let you go. You'd just turn me in."

The boy paled again, and was about to beg for mercy again, when the Ninetales stepped forward and her eyes began to glow blue. The Rocket Grunt's jaw slackened, and a little drool appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Wes acted quickly- opening all of the file cabinets and emptying the PokeBalls into his bag. He grabbed as many as he could, recalled Anne, and then he and Grace fled the warehouse before the Confuse Ray technique wore off.

An hour later, there was a knock on the front of the Pokemon Center door. The Nurse Joy- who had been checking on her patients, curiously opened the door to see a large pile of PokeBalls, along with a note.

"Use the serial numbers to trace them back to their original owners," she read aloud, her brow furrowed. She tucked the note in her pocket, and scooped up the large quantity of PokeBalls in amazement.

The boy and his Ninetales watched from behind the dumpster, and he rubbed her head affectionately. "Good thinking with using Confuse Ray, Grace. I thought I was going to have to... you know I don't enjoy killing people, right?"

She glanced up at him in surprise, and then licked his hand comfortingly. He grinned, and hugged her close.

"Thanks, 'ol girl. C'mon, we better get back to the hotel before the police find out."

He stiffly rose to his feet, and she padded along after him silently as they left behind the Pokemon Center- one step closer to their goal.

**

* * *

**

A/N: So, now we see what Celebi was planning. And, we even got to catch up with Wes & Grace! Even though I was planning on not writing about them for a long time... I decided to give you a little backstory on them before they catch up with Leah and Shadow again. Which... could be a long time. ;)

Well, this is normally when I apologize for my lateness and practically beg for forgiveness, but I'm sure you're sick of hearing my excuses. So, let me just say that I love you all- my dearest readers!

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	70. Silence

**A/N: Celebi arranged for Shadow to meet with Silly's ghost, and we caught a glimpse of what Wes and Grace have been up to. Same old stuff- but his Pokemon have all evolved, and he's added a new member to the team. **

**I bet you're all excited to finally find out about Daniel's past, aren't you? What better way to execute a milestone chapter such as this? 70 chapters= WOW. Thank you all for everything you do- reading, reviewing, participating in the polls... you all are definitely my inspiration. Wouldn't have gotten this far without ya! :)**

**WARNING: This chapter contains child abuse, which may be too disturbing for some. **

* * *

Chapter 70: 

Silence

A lump formed in my throat as Silly began her story. Her eyes were shadowed with regret, and she keep shooting me guilty glances. But I couldn't bring myself to be angry with her. What good would it do? She was dead, after all.

"When I was just barely weaned, I was shipped from Hoenn to Sinnoh with my siblings. We were distributed between pet stores all around the region- back then Skitty were in high demand. I remember the way your mother looked when I first saw her..."

~o0o~

_The frail young woman peeked through the window of the pet store timidly, before tucking her hair behind her right ear and gently opening the door. The bell jingled as she entered, but the man behind the counter didn't look up at his visitors. _

_The woman tightened her grasp on the young boy's hand, and he glanced up at her with sparkling eyes. She studied the cut above his left eye with a guilty expression, but he was oblivous to her distress. _

_"Can I go watch the Goldeen, mama?" he asked, bouncing up and down a little with excitement. _

_A small smile crept across her face, and she swooped down to place a kiss on his nose lovingly. "Of course, Daniel. Just be careful, and remember not to tap on the glass." _

_"I won't, mommy," he promised earnestly, before running to the large glass tanks that held the colorful fish. __The man behind the counter- having heard their exchange- was now watching the young woman with mild interest. _

_"Can I help you, ma'am?" he asked. _

_"Yes," replied the meek woman. "I-I was wondering if you had any pets capable of protection." _

_The store owner's eyebrows shot to the ceiling, and he now took a second glance at the woman before him. Her stomach bulged, and he immediately realized she must be pregnant. Although it was a mild summer day, she was wearing a long-sleeved blue turtleneck and jeans. And despite her fair complexion, she appeared to be wearing too much makeup. _

_The store owner, shocked at his realization, had to take a second before responding. "Uh, yes. We have a few Houndour pups in the back-" _

_"But I need a Pokemon that will be gentle with small children," the young mother explained, before gesturing at her son who was making kissy faces at the fish. __"I was thinking something along the lines of a Growlithe?" _

_The man shook his head sympathetically. "Sorry ma'am. We don't carry Growlithe here. The only other Pokemon we have are a few Glameow and a Skitty, but Glameow are tempermental and Skitty aren't exactly intimidating." __Her face fell, and he hurriedly continued. "However, this particular Skitty is feisty, and with some training that tail of hers could do some damage. Would you like to take a look?" _

_The woman blushed and nodded serenely, and the man smiled kindly at her before leading her back to the cages where the larger Pokemon were kept. The Houndour pups yapped and wagged their stumpy tails as she passed them, but she kept her distance. She had been bitten by a Houndour as a child, and had held a dislike for the species ever since. _

_When they reached the feline cage, the two Glameow stretched lazily before walking over to the cage and rubbing up against the metal bars. The woman was about to pet one of them, when she heard a fierce hiss and the two larger Pokemon leapt aside. __A tiny, fluffy little Skitty stalked forward confidently- a smirk evident on her snout as she mewled at the young woman. __The two Glameow stalked back to their beds, and flicked their tails in annoyance as the Skitty soaked up the attention. _

_Purring, the Skitty rolled over on her back as the woman scratched her belly, and let loose a bell-like laugh. The man smiled at the sight, and then gently asked if she would like to hold her. The young woman tentatively reached into the cage and lifted the tiny Pokemon out, before cradling her like a baby in her arms. The Kitten Pokemon purred ever louder, and mewled contentedly. _

_"Daniel, come here for a second," Karen Moore called to her son. _

_His head poked around the corner, and he sheepishly grinned as he crept slowly over to his mother. "What kinda Pokemon is that?" he asked curiously, his brow furrowed as he studied the fluffy pink Pokemon in his mother's arms. _

_"This is a Skitty, honey. Isn't she cute?" _

_The young boy sucked in his breath, and shrugged in a nonchalant manner. "Yeah mommy, she is. But she looks like a girly Pokemon." __He turned, and pointed to the cage of Houndour pups. "I want one of those." _

_Sensing the hesitation in the young mother, the store owner intervened. "Hey buddy, let me show you something cool about this Skitty." _

_The young boy watched, mesmorized, as the man picked up one of the Houndour and put them on the floor. The woman stiffened, but didn't have much time to react before the man had taken the Skitty from her and set it on the floor as well. _

_The good-natured Kitten Pokemon took one look at the much larger Houndour, and her fur stood on end. The playful pup bounded over to her, and that was when she struck. The impressive Skitty sent the Dark Pokemon flying across the room with a single whack of her tail. _

_Daniel watched in awe as the petrified pup cowered from the docile Skitty, and then tugged on his mother's sleeve. _

_"Okay, now I want _that_ one!" he said excitedly, before pointing at the Skitty who was rubbing against his pant leg adoringly. _

_Karen shot the store owner a grateful look, before helping the small child hold the Skitty. He giggled jubilantly as the Pokemon's tail tickled his nose, and she licked his chin adoringly. _

_"She's a funny Pokemon, mama. Can we keep her?" _

_Karen smiled, and ruffled her son's hair lovingly. "Yes, Daniel. She's ours now." _

_He grinned happily, before putting the Pokemon on the ground and letting her roam around the store. When she came to a mirror, she flopped down in front of it- and batted at her reflection playfully. Her silly antics would later earn her the name she held until her death. _

_Daniel, who was fascinating by her, sat down and watched while his mother paid for the kit and thanked the store owner profusely. The store owner watched as the mysterious woman picked up the Skitty, and then took her little boy's hand. And then, without a single word, they walked out the door._

~o0o~

My mind swirled as the faint, distant memory drifted back to me. I remembered the smell of her perfume, and the bell-like sound of her voice. But for the life of me, I couldn't remember her face. It saddened me to think that, after knowing her for the first four years of my life, the only thing that seemed familiar about her was the sound, and the smell of her. The two senses drifted around me; as if to taunt me.

"Well, you're taking this better than I expected," Silly purred, though she studied me carefully as if waiting for an outburst.

"This is just a lot to process," I said slowly, before blinking at her curiously. "How exactly did you expect me to react?"

"I guess I thought you'd be more upset," she said with a shrug, before narrowing her eyes at me. "You _do_ know why your mother was wearing a long-sleeved turtleneck, right?"

When I shot her a confused look, she shook her head solemnly. "Well, I guess I'll explain it. There's something else you deserve to know..."

She trailed off and looked at me worriedly, as if she was asking for permission to tell a story she knew would only hurt me. But my desire to know about my past drove me to nod approvingly, not quite knowing just how much this next story would sicken me. And how much I would regret hearing it later.

~o0o~

_Karen Moore opened the door nervously- the house was quiet. Too quiet. She set the brown paper grocery bags on the table next to the apartment door, and bit her lip as she walked inside. _

_"Isaac?" she called out to her husband in a timid voice, her knuckles tightening their grip on her house keys as she moved into the living room. _

_She stepped over an empty bottle of whiskey, and then peered into the room. The first thing she saw was her Skitty- thrown in her cage, no doubt by Isaac. She whooshed out a sigh of relief as she saw five-year-old Daniel bending over the baby swing that held his sleeping little brother, Joshua. _

_"Mommy, why did you have to leave?" asked the little boy, as he turned to face his mother. _

_She noticed his left hand was hanging limp to the side, and suddenly she was very afraid. _

_"Your f-father needed some of his special drink," she stammered, before glancing over her shoulder at the bags holding the booze. She then knelt before her brave little son to inspect his wrist. He sucked in his breath and bit his cheek as she tenderly turned it over, and confirmed her suspicions. _

_"Did your daddy do this to you?" she asked; already knowing the answer. _

_He nodded his head sharply, but couldn't stop the tears that were already forming in his reddened eyes. __"I c-couldn't get Josh to stop c-cryin'," he hiccuped, tears now flowing down his face. _

_The young mother hugged her distraught child, and tried to hide her own tears. "I'm sorry I had to leave, Daniel. But you know how daddy gets when he wants his special drink. I had no choice." _

_Daniel innocently asked, "Is that why he hit you, mommy? 'Cuz you forgot?" _

_She nodded, and released him. "Yes, baby. It was my fault. I'm so sorry." _

_He was about to reply, when the bedroom door slammed shut. The sudden sound made Karen yelp and jump a little, which jarred Daniel's wrist. He began crying a little louder, and that combined with the slamming door woke up his two-week old brother. _

_The infant's eyes fluttered open, and he almost immediately began crying along with Daniel. The shrill sounds of the hurt little boy and Joshua, who was colicky, sent the man whom had been lurking in the hall into the room; his face flushed with anger. _

_"Damnit Karen, make 'em shut up!" he barked, causing her to flinch and hot tears to sting her eyes. She picked up her baby and pulled him close, wincing as his little body came into contact with her freshly bruised ribs. __Joshua's cries only escalated, and the young mother hurriedly tried to calm him down. _

_"Shh, Joshy, you're okay. Please honey, stop crying," she pleaded- her eyes never leaving her husband who was opening a bottle of whiskey. _

_"Karen, you worthless bitch," he snarled. "I'm trying to relax here! Make him shut up!" _

_"I'm trying," she whimpered as the infant's wailing rose to deafening proportions. _

_Daniel, cradling his wrist, scampered beneath the kitchen table and watched in horror as the tragedy unfolded. "_

_I work two fucking jobs six days a week, to pay for all of your stupid shit. And this is the thanks I get? I need my rest, damnit! Make him be QUIET!" Isaac Moore slammed his fist down onto the coffee table, his voice becoming thicker with rage. _

_Daniel whimpered beneath the table, and hugged his injured wrist close to his heaving chest. He had an awful feeling of dread. He knew what happened when his father got angry. _

_Bad things happened. _

_Karen was sobbing now, trying desperately to comfort her baby boy. There were so many things she wanted to scream at her husband. That he was a lush bastard, and she wished would die a painful death. Or maybe that, if he just stopped screaming, Joshua would be able to fall asleep and all problems would be solved. But she was weak. __And so she just cried, and clung to her infant tighter. _

_Isaac stormed over to her and outstretched his arms. "Give him to me, you useless piece of shit. If you can't get him to be quiet, I will," he snarled. _

_Karen instinctively turned away from him, only to have his fist slam into her face. She stumbled, and Josh fell silent for a split second as his mother steadied herself on the chair. Isaac pulled his son from Karen's arms, and at first tried to rock him. _

_But he had seldom held Daniel, and holding a squirming, screeching baby proved much more difficult. _

_"Shut up!" he yelled at Joshua, his alcohol-tinged breath stinging the infant's eyes. _

_In a drunken rage, Isaac lifted his son over his head and yelled at him once more. He shook him once for emphasis, and Joshua fell silent while he was being shaken. But as soon as he was lowered, Joshua began wailing again. _

_So, his father lifted him again. And this time, he shook his tiny form until he ceased to cry. Until he ceased to move. _

_No one spoke of it. _

_The doctors were told that the baby's life was claimed by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The mother grieved her child silently- her reddened eyes indicating her deep sorrow. She clung to her remaining son, and smoothed his hair lovingly. She told him that his little brother was in a better place, and that he couldn't tell _anyone_ what he had seen__. _

_But Daniel didn't speak at all. _

_His face was pallor as he stumbled along behind his mother as the went into the radiology room, to get another x-ray of his wrist. He stood silent and grim as they watched the tiny little casket be lowered into the cold, hard earth. __He didn't flinch the next time his father hit him. He didn't falter when his mother cried herself to sleep at night. _

_He was silent. _

_Because now, every fiber of his being was devoted to forgetting everything that had happened to him. _

~o0o~

"Oh my Mew," I whispered, as the memory hit me like a brick wall. "How could I not _remember_ that? That murderous bastard!"

"Daniel," Silly said softly, "you need to calm down. You were only five. It's perfectly natural to forget things when you're that young-"

"I had a brother," I whimpered mournfully, my tail drooping with a renewed sense of loss. In that moment, I regretted seeking the truth about my past.

"Your mother always felt guilty about Joshua's death," Silly said quietly, the name of my dead baby brother causing me to stiffen slightly. "She took you to the orphanage a few weeks later, to protect you. That was the last time I saw you until you started hanging out with Kelly. The next morning, she and your father were gone- and I was a stray until Faye Walsch found me, and took me in."

"So you don't know if they're alive?" I asked.

She shook her head, and said, "I wanted to tell you, because I felt you deserved to know, Daniel. Your mother loved you. She left you behind to protect you."

"That's it, then?" I asked flatly, not bothering to mask my disappointment. "What about the newspaper article? You don't know what it says?"

She shook her head, and replied, "No Daniel- I found it in a newspaper that I was sleeping on when I was a stray. I recognized you and your parents, so I used my claws to cut it out. And I kept it with me. It was all I had left of you and your mother. But after you first came to Kelly's house, I decided I would give it to you when it was time."

She glanced down sheepishly, before letting out a rueful chuckle. "This isn't exactly how I pictured you finding out."

I offered up the best smile I could muster, under the circumstances, and nodded at her. "Thanks, Silly. It may not have been much, but at least... now I know. Plus that, it was really good to see you again. I never got to say goodbye."

She flicked her tail, and shrugged her shoulders slightly before rising to her feet and stretching lazily. "Eh, don't worry about it. When you're dead, we'll have plenty of time to talk. Take care of yourself, Daniel." Silly winked at me, before turning and slowly walking into the black void.

I blinked once, and immediately found myself out of the realm of the dead, and submerged back into reality.

* * *

"-train a little bit, and then decide where we're headed next," Leah finished her sentence.

Time had resumed its flow, and I let out a sigh of relief. At least we'd be training. That would definitely help distract me from my conversation with Silly.

"The Nurse Joy said that the nearest Gym is in Saffron," Julie explained, as we began to leave the House of Memories behind us. "But she also said that Sabrina is really tough, and that we should consider challenging the Gym in Celadon before taking her on."

"Let's head back to the Pokemon Center, and figure this out," Leah suggested. "We need to decide where to go from here."

So our large group walked to the Pokemon Center, and as we did, I began to think about the newspaper article. About how I needed someone to read it to me. And then I began to think about who in our group could read...

As the doors to the Pokemon Center closed behind us, and we stepped into the cool air conditioning, my heart soared.

Dante knew how to read. He could tell me what the article said. Trembling with excitement, I trotted over to him.

"Hey Dante," I said, my tail wagging at the prospect of clearing up this mystery once and for all.

The Psyduck glanced up at me with a blank expression, and then turned his head and continued his conversation with Bruce. The Lucario's aura eyes had dimmed, as he rested and listened to Dante talk.

Confused by Dante's cold reaction, I waited patiently for about three seconds, before prying again. "Dante, I need to ask you for a favor-"

"And I want to talk to Bruce," he snapped, his arms folded across his chest. "Besides that, you're overlooking a minor detail. No one cares."

Taken aback by hs rudeness, I stormed away from him and flopped down on the floor in front of the table where Leah and Julie were devising our travel route.

"Uncle Shadow, are you okay?" Kenya asked timidly as she approached me.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I grumbled. "But Dante must have a stick up his ass, because he's acting especially hateful today. Did you _hear_ what he said to me?"

"Yes, I did," Kenya said, before shooting me a poor attempt at an accusing look. "And it sounded an awful lot like what you said to him earlier today. You've been really mean to him lately, Uncle Shadow. I think you should say you're sorry."

But before I could respond, the door to the Pokemon Center jingled. And a familiar young boy walked in with a very tired looking Jolteon at his side.

"Leah? Julie? What are you two doing in _Lavender_ Town?"

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's one more puzzle piece of Daniel's life glued into place. I tried to keep this chapter from being all doom-and-gloom, but I pretty much failed at that. But at least Jeremy and Jodi are back for a while! :) **

**You people better love me, because I blew off my Spanish homework to type up 85 percent of this. :P ****Así que por favor revise, y si lo hace puede ser que apenas le dará una chalupa! (So please review, and if you do I might just give you a chalupa!) **

**Not really... :P**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	71. Shortcomings

********

**************A/N: Last chapter we found out how Daniel's and Silly's pasts were intertwined, and then two familiar faces showed up again. :)**

Thanks for all the reviews! You know I love all you crazy people, right? ;) This chapter is the longest ever, so hopefully it conveys my gratitude.

* * *

Chapter 71:

Shortcomings

Jeremy continued through the door, with a lopsided smile on his face. Keon vacated the chair he had been sitting in, allowing the dust-covered, travel weary boy to sit down. Curiosity flowed through me as I studied him. He seemed like he had been through a lot in the past couple of days.

"What happened to _you_?" Leah asked, her brow furrowed as she ignored his original question. "You look like you got in a fight with a dust mop... and lost."

He smiled sheepishly, and bent down to scratch Jodi behind the ear. She was covered in dust as well, and looked absolutely exhausted.

"We just got out of Rock Tunnel," he explained. "But seriously, what are you guys doing here in Lavender Town? I thought you were challenging the Gyms."

"We are," Leah sighed, before gesturing at the map that was spread out on the table. "But we didn't realize there wasn't a Gym here. We're trying to figure out where to go next."

"The Nurse Joy said Leah should challenge the Celadon Gym first, but it's a long way off. Plus that, we have to go through Saffron to get there, so it's out of the way," Julie added.

"Yeah, I heard Sabrina is one tough person to beat," Jeremy commented. He then looked over our team, and shook his head slightly. "You're going to need to evolve some of your Pokemon before you challenge her, if you want to stand a chance."

"Keon and Tyson have both evolved," Leah huffed indignantly. "Besides, I doubt your team is looking much better."

Jeremy held up his hands in mock defense, before letting out a nervous laugh. "Hey, I'm just being honest!"

"So what are _you_ doing here, Jeremy?" Julie asked. "Since there's obviously nothing to do in this town."

"I have an uncle who lives here, and I was dropping by for a visit before going to challenge Koga. He's going to give me a Water Stone so I can evolve Gordon."

"Okay, I'm lost. Who's Gordon?" Leah asked.

"It's a long story," Jeremy sighed, "One that I can tell later. But right now, I'm going to heal my Pokemon, and then head over to my uncle's house."

He paused, and then looked up at the two girls sheepishly. "So... are you two staying the night here in town? It'd be kinda cool to let our Pokemon hang out, since they seemed to hit it off last time."

Leah hesitated, but Julie jumped at the chance to spend more time with him. "Oh, of course. Leah's just going to train a little bit more, so we won't have time to make it to the next town by nightfall."

Jeremy grinned at the two girls, and rose from his chair. "Awesome. I guess I'll you guys tonight! C'mon, Electra, let's go get you and the others healed up."

The exhausted Jolteon stiffly rose from her sprawled out position on the floor, and ambled along behind Jeremy. Seeming to notice me for the first time, she paused mid-step and shot me a tired smile, before continuing on her way. Leah watched as Jeremy put his PokeBalls on the counter, and then stood abruptly.

"We had better get going," Leah said sharply, her jaw set with determination. "We've got a lot to work on if we plan on proving Jeremy wrong."

* * *

Narrowly dodging a pillar of fire, I hunkered down and then charged the Ponyta. When I was close, I leapt onto her back. She squealed as my claws dug into her flesh as I clung to her, and then her fiery mane and tail flared dangerously when my fangs sank into her neck.

I yelped as the flames licked my skin, and lost my balance. No sooner than I had hit the ground, the Ponyta gave me a swift kick in the side for good measure.

"C'mon Shadow, don't give it up!" Leah yelled from the sidelines.

Without batting an eye, I rose to my feet again and blasted the Fire Horse Pokemon with a powerful Dark Pulse. She careened to the side and nearly lost her balance as the attack made contact, but still managed to remain standing.

"Let's go, Flame, use Take Down!" commanded the Ponyta's trainer.

She was a thin, nervous looking girl- whom hadn't stopped biting her fingernails since we had challenged her to a battle and was trembling with nerves.

The Ponyta reared up on her powerful hind legs, and began galloping toward me. As the gap between us quickly narrowed, Leah yelled out a single command.

"Dark Pulse!"

The cool, tickling energy burst forth with enough power to knock the Ponyta off course. Intead of a head-on collision, only her foreleg clipped me as she flailed backwards, and then fell to the ground.

Panting, I walked back to Leah and sat down as the girl recalled her Ponyta, and then frowned at us. The six-on-six battle had just turned in our favor, and now she was down to two Pokemon while we had three remaining.

She studied her last two PokeBalls, and then looked up at me. I was panting pretty hard, after having beaten her Wynaut and then the Ponyta. We had Keon and Kenya left on our side, so we were feeling confident on the outcome of the battle.

The young trainer smirked suddenly, and drew the second-to-last PokeBall from her belt. "Finish him off, Dew!"

I smiled as the majestic Dewgong was released from the reddish light. She blinked slowly at me, and I nodded at her. She and I both knew this battle would be over quickly. But I was determined to give her a run for her money.

"Dew, use Aqua Ring!"

"Thunder Fang, Shadow!"

A bluish ring materialised out of the sky, and descended upon the Sea Lion Pokemon. I rushed the Dewgong, and sank my teeth that were crackling with electricity into her soft flesh. She didn't even hesitate to fling me off with her tail, and so I was sent sprawling to the side.

I looked up just in time to see the blue ring be absorbed by her, as she restored some of her health. The nervous trainer yelled shrilly, "Finish with Signal Beam!"

My heart sank as the super-effective beam burst from the Dewgong's maw, and collided with me. I yelped as the attack surged through me, and then collapsed from the amount of pain. Leah held up her hand, signaling to the girl that I was out of the battle.

Gritting my teeth, I struggled onto my shaky limbs, and limped back to Leah. I crumpled into a pile at her feet, and pathetically whimpered at her to beg for a Hyper Potion.

"You fought really well, Shadow," Leah said contentedly, her genuine smile showing she wasn't just trying to comfort me. It had been a good afternoon for us. Our battles had been relatively successful, and everyone except Kenya and Dante had gained at least one level.

I winced as the Hyper Potion was sprayed on me. There is an initial sting, and then it numbs the body for a minute or two. After that, you're good to go.

I stretched as the tingling subsided, and then watched as Leah sent Kenya out onto the field. The Luxio trotted onto the field confidently, and swished her tail as she smiled at the Dewgong.

"Alright Dew, start with Ice Beam!" the trainer called out, before chewing on her thumbnail.

"Kenya, run behind the Dewgong and use Spark!"

Kenya darted behind the Dewgong, her fur crackling with electricity as she prepared her attack. The Dewgong had to crane her neck around to even see Kenya, but by the time she tried to flip around to repel Kenya with an Ice Beam, the Luxio was already inches from her.

The Dewgong wailed, but managed to blast Kenya with the icy beam. Kenya grunted as the frigid assault connected with her muzzle, before backing away from the Dewgong and shaking her head furiously to free herself of the ice shards that dangled from her fur. The Dewgong smiled serenely as Aqua Ring took effect again, and she regained energy.

"Good, Dew! Now use Aqua Jet!"

Before Kenya could even recover from the Ice Beam attack, the Dewgong was suddenly coated in water. Then, in one single, swift movement, the Dewgong had flung herself at Kenya and bowled her over. Kenya yelped as the thick, solid body of the Sea Lion body sent her back to the ground.

"C'mon Kenya, get up!" Leah shouted from the sidelines, her hands cupped around her mouth. "You can do this. Use Charge Beam!"

The Luxio rose to her feet quickly, her muzzle twisted with sheer determination as she fired the thin electric beam connected with the Dewgong. She screeched in pain as the electricity flowed through her. Kenya suddenly cut off the Charge Beam, and darted in with a quick Bite attack. Her needle-sharp teeth burrowed into the Dewgong's side. But just when it seemed like we were getting somewhere, Aqua Ring once again took effect.

"Dew, use Headbutt!"

"Kenya, dodge then use Charge!"

The sluggish Dewgong thrust her head at Kenya in a short jabbing motion, but Kenya agilely leaped to the side and began storing electrical energy. Her fur began to stand on end, and electricity snapped and crackled around her as she dove out of the way of the Dewgong's Aurora Beam.

"Now, Kenya!"

The Charge Beam attack, which had doubled in size, engulfed the Dewgong; obliterating her Aurora Beam attack and sizzling on impact. The Dewgong let out a throaty cry of defeat, before her magnificent head slumped to the ground.

The nervous, flighty trainer recalled her Dewgong, and glared at Leah. She was down to her last Pokemon. And although Kenya was panting due to the exertion of her last combination, she still had a lot of fight left in her.

"Time for my best Pokemon," the trainer murmured, before brushing her shaggy bangs out of her eyes and letting a short, whooshing breath out. "Will, you're up!"

I stood, intrigued, as a Pokemon I had never seen before materialised on the field. A slender, black-and-tan creature blinked at us with liquid brown eyes, before smirking and crossing his delicate little arms across his chest. But that wasn't what had me staring like an idiot.

A large appendage protruded out of the back of his head, forming gaping jaws with razor-sharp teeth.

Leah frowned at the odd looking creature, and ended up pulling out her Pokedex. She grumbled underneath her breath as she scanned the Pokemon, and then looked at Kenya.

"That's a Mawile," she explained to the Luxio, who was staring at said creature apprehensively. "It's a steel-type, so you're going to have some trouble here, Kenya. Start with Tackle!"

Kenya darted towards the Mawile, who merely blinked placidly at her. A split second before she collided with him, the Mawile twirled around so that Kenya ran directly into his gaping maw. She yelped as the teeth connected with her flesh, and squirmed helplessly when the Mawile chomped down on her with a vice-like grip.

"Kenya, use Spark to make him let go!"

The Luxio sent an electrical surge through her body, which flowed into the Mawile and caused his jaws to momentarily go slack. Kenya quickly escaped his grasp, and immediately let loose a short, weakened burst of a Charge Beam attack. He narrowly dodged the attack, and his dark eyes glittered with agitation.

Our opponent realized she had to finish this quickly if she had a shot at all, and cried out, "Will, end this!"

He shot her an indiscernable look, before his mouth-like appendage swung around to face Kenya. The jaws parted, and revealed a small purplish-black sphere of energy. It became larger, and then suddenly the Mawile's jaws snapped shut, and the Shadow Ball attack was unleashed on Kenya.

She didn't make a sound as she crumpled on the battlefield; her sides heaving from exhaustion.

"You fought well, Kenya," Leah murmured solemnly as she recalled the battered Luxio.

I couldn't help but smile as she confidently drew Keon's PokeBall. This would be over fairly quickly.

The opposing trainer frowned when Keon appeared on the field; flexing his muscles and chuckling at the tiny Pokemon he was expected to fight. The Mawile's expression hardened, and his jaws snapped maliciously in reaction to being mocked.

"Keon, Low Kick!"

"Will, use Vicegrip!"

The tiny Mawile moved quickly, despite the awkward appendage that flailed behind him. Keon waited until his opponent was in reach, before swiping at him with a sweeping kick that knocked the Mawile off his feet. Seemingly unfazed, the Pokemon retaliated by latching onto Keon's foot. Our beloved Machoke bellowed his agony, before delivering a swfit Karate Chop to the back of his head. The Mawile groaned, and realeased his grip.

The two Pokemon twirled away from each other; both having earned the respect of the other.

As nice as that may be, the Mawile still had the disadvantage. A few more hits and he would be down for the count.

The trainer commanded another Shadow Ball, and the Mawile nodded before firing the swirling sphere of energy at Keon's head. Our hulking, humanoid Pokemon slid to the side fluidly, avoiding the attack in one effortless motion.

"Let him hit you, Keon," Leah said confidently, although the Machoke shot her an incredulous look.

"Then we better make this one count, Will. Use Vicegrip!"

The Mawile launched himself at Keon, jaws snapping wildly. Keon cringed, and seemed ready to leap out of the way, but he stiffened and took the attack as Leah had commanded. Blood seeped from his arm where the Mawile had latched on, and he uttered an enraged cry as he flung the Mawile to the ground.

I glanced up at Leah, who was grinning like an idiot. "Excellent, Keon! Finish with Revenge!"

Keon's eyes flashed with a hateful red energy as he glared at the Mawile, whom was still struggling to pick himself up off the ground. Keon charged the injured Pokemon, and ruthlessly beat him until he was lying limp on the field.

The once nervous trainer was now frantic as she ran onto the field and cradled her Mawile in her arms. Leah politely told her it was a good battle- which it was- and then modestly collected the forfeit money.

"Wow, that little bastard can sure bite," Keon grumbled through gritted teeth; blood seeping from both his foot and his arm.

"Come here, Keon. Let's get you fixed up," Leah crooned as the trainer walked away.

The bulky Machoke lumbered over, and allowed Leah to spray his wounds. She then let Kenya out of her PokeBall, and used a Hyper Potion on her. Kenya was still trembling when she finished, though, and electricity still crackled around her. Her fur seemed to be glowing with energy, as well.

"Kenya, are you okay?" I asked.

"I feel okay," she said honestly. "I feel a little tired, but that's all."

"We should head back to the Pokemon Center," Julie muttered, staring at Kenya with genuine concern. "Something's wrong with Kenya."

"You're right," Leah said, before recalling Kenya and Keon to their PokeBalls.

Worry lines creased her forehead as she began to stride purposefully back to the town. I had to trot along to keep up with their brisk pace, but I didn't mind. I was just as concerned about Kenya as they were.

I turned my head to see Bruce, his aura eyes glowing faintly as he strode alongside Julie. He seemed so... wise. I suddenly felt the impulse to seek reassurance in him; to ask if he thought Kenya would be okay.

He chuckled abruptly, and then spoke in a gentle tone. "Shadow, you mustn't worry so much. Kenya is not a kit anymore. She will be fine."

At first, I gaped at him because he had read my thoughts. Secondly, I was curious. Very, _very_ curious.

"And just how do you know she'll be okay?" I asked apprehensively, and studied him carefully before letting my gaze drop to the dusty earth beneath our feet.

With every step a tiny cloud of dust rose, until we were all covered in a light coating of it. It really hadn't rained in a long time, now that I thought about it. The days had steadily been creeping down in temperature, and the leaves were beginning to change and float lazily to the ground.

"I cannot know for certain," Bruce explained, his voice immediately soothing me even as he interrupted my thoughts. "But I once knew a Flaaffy who acted a lot like Kenya. She evolved not too much longer after that."

Relief flooded me, and I shot him a grateful look for qualming my fears that Kenya might have been sick.

"Thanks, Gramps."

The nickname flew off my tongue, like word-vomit. The look he gave me was a mixture of amusement and curiosity. We had stopped- the two of us falling far behind Leah and Julie who were still making a beeline to the Pokemon Center; unaware of our small revelation.

"Sorry, I don't know where that came from," I blurted out, wanting to explain myself. "You just seem so wise, and nice... like I always imagined a grandfather would act."

To my surprise, he chuckled, and then continued walking. I followed suit, and waited for him to respond. About three minutes later, he ended the silence and said, "You know, I think I like that nickname. Gramps. Has a nice ring to it, y'know?"

I was about to reply when Leah whirled around and yelled for us to hurry up through cupped hands. I shared an amused glance with the elderly Lucario, and then we both began briskly trotting towards our impatient trainers.

~o0o~

The experienced Nurse Joy took one look at the 'ailing' Kenya, and smiled pleasantly.

"You have nothing to fear, Ms. Walsch. Your Luxio is very healthy. So healthy, in fact, that she is close to evolving." She smoothed down Kenya's fur, and then continued. "See how she seems to have an excess of electrical energy? This is because her power has become too large to contain in her body. I predict that, in her next battle, she'll evolve."

Leah was grinning ecstatically as she profusely thanked the Nurse Joy, and then scooped Kenya up and gave her a hug.

"Kenya, this is great!" she practically squealed. "Soon you'll be a huge, powerful Luxray. Can you believe it?"

Upon our entry to the lobby, Julie glanced up anxiously at us from her newspaper, and Bruce merely smiled at the relieved look on Leah's face. Kenya squirmed in Leah's arms, and so she was set down on the floor next to me as Leah bounded over to tell Julie the good news.

"Congratulations Kenya," I barked softly, my tail wagging.

She smiled at me, and then shifted her feet nervously. "Thanks, Uncle Shadow. But I don't know if I _want_ to evolve."

Frowning, I asked, "Why not? Don't you want to get stronger?"

She nodded hesitantly, and then mewled, "Don't you think it'll be weird? When I evolve, I'll be bigger than you! What if Leah keeps me in my PokeBall more because I'm too big- like Tyson and Keon?"

To be honest, I hadn't thought about the fact that Kenya would be bigger than me. I still viewed her as a little kit, who needed constant protection.

"Kenya, you have to decide what's best for you. I think you should evolve. I'm sure Leah will keep you out of your PokeBall as much as possible, and it doesn't matter to me how much bigger you are than me. I'll always be your Uncle Shadow."

She smiled at me, and then rubbed her blue-furred shoulder up against mine affectionately. "Thanks, Uncle Shadow. You're right."

"Kenya, come over here for a second," Leah called, before holding up the Pokedex. "I want to show you something."

Kenya and I both trotted over, and Leah held the small device down where we could see. The words were in an unfamiliar jumble, as usual, which made me have a fleeting thought about how I was going to convince Dante to read the newspaper article for me.

But then I focused on the picture, and a spark of jealousy lit in my heart. The Pokemon in the picture- which I assumed was a Luxray, looked incredibly intimidating. A thick, luxurious black mane framed a blue-flurred head, with sparkling golden eyes.

Elongated claws protruded from the Pokemon's paws, and only added to my jealousy. I glanced down at my own claws. While not exactly blunt, they weren't as wicked-looking as Kenya's would be once she evolved, either.

"I'm gonna be a beast!" Kenya squealed, before jumping into Leah's lap and purring contentedly.

The door to the Pokemon Center was flung open, and Jeremy strode in. He had on clean clothes, and he looked a lot happier. Even Jodi looked somewhat energized as she strolled in behind him.

"Hey guys," he exclaimed, before tossing a sapphire-colored stone into the air and catching it in a casual manner. "Got the Water Stone. Figured you might want to watch me use it. Have you ever seen an elemental stone work before? It's pretty cool." Leah and Julie exchanged grins, and so we left the Pokemon Center as quickly as we had came.

We walked south of town, and ended up at the border of the ocean. Jeremy, Leah, and Julie all sat on the boardwalk- taking off their shoes and dipping their toes in the water as they talked.

"So you never told us who Gordon was," Julie said curiously. "He must be a water-type, since none of your other Pokemon could use a Water Stone."

"Which also raises the question," Leah added, "What happened to your Croconaw?"

Jeremy blushed a little, and leaned back to rest on his elbows. "Long story short," he began, seeming a little embarassed, "Tucker turned out to be a little more than I could handle. So I traded him for a different water-type. Here, I'll show you."

Jeremy unclipped five PokeBalls from his belt, and tossed them into the air with the flick of his wrist. The familiar Tropius, Girafarig, Heracross, and Rhyhorn appeared along with a Pokemon I hadn't seen before.

"A Poliwhirl?" Leah asked, her nose crinkled up in either confusion or disgust, I couldn't determine which. "Who in their right mind trades a Croconaw for a Poliwhirl?"

"A _carefully_ _bred_ Poliwhirl," Jeremy said defensively, patting Gordon on the head. "Besides, Gordon actually obeys me in battle." A smile crept onto his face, and he nudged Leah suggestively. "Say, you wouldn't want to-"

"No rematch right now," Leah muttered, swatting him away like a bothersome fly. "We just got done training, and everyone's tired. Let's just relax for a little while. Go evolve your Pokemon."

Jeremy's playful grin never wavered as he rolled his eyes and jumped to his feet. "Hey Gordon, I have something for you."

The Poliwhirl lazily lumbered over to us, and Jeremy revealed the Water Stone. Gordon's eyes bulged, and he leaped into the air and fist-pumped, before trembling with excitement. "Thank you Jeremy, oh thank you," he mumbled. "I can't wait!"

I noticed Kenya watching him intently as Jeremy handed over the Water Stone. The Poliwhirl took it into his white-gloved hands, and looked up hopefully as a blue energy flowed through him. The Water Stone seemed to absorb into his spiral-patterned chest, and the blue glow slowly turned white as the light engulfed him. Gordon grew a foot in height, and his arms thickened with well-developed muscle. When the coruscating light subsided, a Poliwrath stood before us; flexing his muscles and giggling with delight.

After watching Gordon evolve, Leah let the rest of the group out of their PokeBalls. Whilst everyone was catching up, I finally got a chance to talk to Jodi. She smiled amiably as I sat down next to her, and I noticed she seemed to have lost a little weight.

"Shadow, long time no see," she murmured thoughtfully. "What have I missed?"

"Not much," I lied, not wanting to delve into my recent sketchy experiences with my past.

"Who's the old geezer?" she asked bluntly, pointing at Bruce with her forepaw.

He was resting against a road sign, with his arms folded over his chest as he conversed quietly with Ivan, the Heracross.

"That's Bruce," I chuckled. "Julie caught him a few days ago. He's really cool-"

"And really creepy looking," Jodi snorted. "What the hell is up with his eyes? Or, lack thereof?"

"We don't really know," I admitted. "He's a little secretive. But the Nurse Joy said they were gouged out a while ago."

Jodi yawned, before getting to her feet and stretching in a cat-like manner. "Interesting. Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to go pry a little bit, before my curiosity kills me. Be right back."

She trotted over to Bruce, and I was once again alone. So, I turned my attention to Leah and Julie's conversation with Jeremy.

"Leah's been having some self-confidence issues," Julie stated factually. "It cost her the battle with Lt. Surge, but she beat the crap out of him the second time. That's probably why you were able to catch up to us, Jeremy."

He nodded thoughtfully, and Leah shot Julie an icy stare. My guess was, she didn't like having her weaknesses exposed to her self-proclaimed rival.

"Jules, why don't you let Tak and Shelley out of their PokeBalls?" Leah asked in an innocent manner, before batting her eyelashes at her friend to sugar coat the subject change. "I'm sure they'd like to stretch their legs. You haven't let them out since the day you caught Bruce."

Julie's face flushed, and Jeremy eyed the two girls warily. Obviously this was a touchy subject, because Julie sucked in her breath and folded her arms stubbornly across her chest.

"You know good and well why I'm afraid to let them out, Leah. I'm afraid they'll run away again. I'm sorry, weren't we just talking about _your_ shortcomings?"

The two girls were about to begin yelling, and I so desperately wanted to explain why Tak and Shelley ran away. The only problem was the whole language barrier ordeal. A thought crossed my mind, and so I sheepishly turned to face Bruce, who was still talking to Jodi and Ivan.

Remembering how much he had seemed to enjoy the moniker I had given him earlier by mistake, I yelled, "Hey Gramps, come here for a second. I need to ask a favor of you."

The Lucario's aura eyes flickered, and then glowed bright as he pardoned himself from the conversation and approached me. "Yes, Shadow?"

"Leah and Julie are about to fight over something really stupid, and I know a way you can stop it. You'll have to translate for me though."

He nodded, and I smiled, before letting out an abrupt bark that startled the two girls from their quarreling. I noted the look of relief on Jeremy's face, before proceeding.

_"Shelley and Tak only run off for some alone time, to talk and explore. They always come back, and have no intention of leaving permanently. But if you keep them cooped up for too much longer, Shelley's likely to kill us all. So stop fighting, and just let them out." _

As Bruce finished translating for me, Julie conceded defeat, and released Tak and Shelley from their PokeBalls.

"Oh dear, how long have we been cooped up in there?" Tak chirped, before ruffling his feathers.

"Too fucking long, if you ask me," Shelley practically growled, as she stretched her stubby little legs and blinked irritably.

The two glanced around and suddenly noticed we were surrounded by Jeremy and his Pokemon.

"Oh, shit. And on top of everything else, now we have to _socialize_." Shelley spat out the word like it tasted bitter on her tongue, which earned a chuckle out of everyone who could understand her rant.

It was good to have everyone back together again.

* * *

**I'm terribly sorry this took so long, but don't expect the next chapter anytime soon, either. I have State Choir auditions coming up soon, so my computer time is limited. Thanks for reading, and if you can spare a moment please review! :)**

**Until next chapter,**

**~Shelby**


	72. Tension

**A/N: Caught up with Jeremy, who has a newly evolved Poliwrath. Found out Kenya will be evolving soon, Bruce and Shadow had a little male-bonding, and the infamous Shelley and Tak are back from being grounded to their PokeBalls. ;)**

**(Insert clever way to graciously thank you all for the reviews, faves, etc... here)**

* * *

Chapter 72:

Tension

Our pleasant little reunion was short-lived. Turns out that Leah and Jeremy couldn't take the tension after all. Jeremy was itching to show off his new Poliwrath in battle, and Leah was secretly hoping for the chance to evolve Kenya just to spite him.

"C'mon, just a quick one-on-one match," he groaned, hoping she would finally agree.

"No," she said firmly, though her gaze was resting on Kenya thoughtfully. "We can battle later. Right now, Julie and I need to figure out a way to get to Celadon City."

Jeremy sighed exasperatedly, and flopped back down onto the ground. Persistent little bastard he was, he sighed. "Okay, tell you what. If you battle Gordon- with any Pokemon you choose- I will personally give you two a ride to Celadon."

Leah blinked at him. "Seriously? You would do that?"

Jeremy shrugged noncommittally. "Sure, why not? I'm heading to Fuschia City after this, so I could make a little detour. If we fly on Pyro, we could get there within a day. Maybe less."

Leah pretended to contemplate it, wanting to draw out Jeremy's impatience, but this time it was Julie who was getting frustrated.

"Geez, Lee, just battle him already! You've been wanting to evolve Kenya, anyway. Might as well kill two Pidgey with one stone."

Leah rolled her eyes, but rose to her feet nonetheless. "Fine. It's a deal."

She called Kenya over, and Jeremy's high wattage smile lit up the entire universe for a split second as he jumped up and motioned Gordon over. Our large group of Pokemon moved to the side, creating a space large enough to host the battle. Kenya was trembling with excitement as she stepped onto the field. She seemed completely unfazed by the large, enthusiastic Poliwrath that loomed over her.

"You can go first," Jeremy said, no doubt formulating a plan to overcome his type disadvantage.

"Alright then," Leah said with a shrug, "Kenya, start with Spark!"

The glowing Luxio darted towards the Poliwrath whom was calmly waiting for a command from his trainer.

"Gordon, dodge to the side and use Doubleslap!"

Gordon tried to jump out of the way, but Kenya was too quick for him. Her lithe, electric-charged body collided with his shoulder. He grunted, but used his free hand to snatch her up by her tail. His other hand glowed slightly, before he smacked her repeatedly across the face.

Kenya let out an unexpected snarl, and bared her fangs before latching onto his hand. Gordon yelped this time and flung her off, but Kenya had scarcely landed on her feet before leaping back at him with another Spark attack.

"Gordon, use Mud Shot to repel her!"

The Poliwrath shot a blast of thick mud at Kenya, which sent her careening away from him. She fell to the ground, and lay there for a second as she recovered from the super-effective attack.

"Kenya, use Charge Beam," Leah coolly commanded, her voice level as she waited for Jeremy to make his next move.

"Gordon, use your special move," he yelled, before smirking at Leah.

The Poliwrath nodded, and I watched in amazement as he tucked his arms and legs to his sides, and became coated in ice. He began rolling towards Kenya at a breakneck pace, and she didn't manage to get out of the way in time.

Kenya squealed as the Ice Ball attack sent her sprawling, but she regained her balance and then crouched on her haunches. While Gordon circled her to gain momentum, she used Charge to store even more energy. Electricity snapped wildly around her, and I saw a gleam in her eyes I had never seen before as she gained more power.

When the Poliwrath began to barrel towards her, Kenya unleashed the pent up energy in a massive Charge Beam attack. The beam of light collided with Gordon's ice coated body, causing a small explosion as the ice shattered. Gordon tumbled out of the blast, with a few scrapes marring his body as he lay unconscious.

But no one was watching him, because Kenya had become engulfed in a soft white glow.

A bittersweet feeling washed over me as my little Kenya nearly doubled in size. I watched enviously as her paws grew larger than my own, and her mane grew to its full length. When the shimmering glow faded, she blinked once, before letting out a ferocious roar that made me cringe.

We all stared at her, mouth agape, as she turned to me and smiled. Her voice was softer, and a little deeper as she asked, "Uncle Shadow, wasn't that cool?"

I forced a grin, and even made my tail wag. "Yeah, Kenya. That was great."

When she approached me, I almost recoiled- she stood over a foot taller than me, now. Leah saved me though, by stepped forward and hugging the giant Luxray; burying her face in the luxurious mane.

"I'm proud of you, Kenya," she murmured in a muffled voice.

A rumbling purr erupted from Kenya's chest, and Leah giggled before looking at Jeremy with a smug expression. He took it in stride, and smiled right back.

"Now that that's over, let's get some dinner," he suggested. "The sooner we eat, the sooner we can sleep, and the earlier we can leave tomorrow. We'll need to leave before sunrise if we want to be in Celadon by tomorrow afternoon."

"Sounds reasonable," Julie thought aloud, as Jeremy recalled his Pokemon, excluding Jodi and Gordon.

"Not only that, but I'm starving," Leah added.

She recalled Tyson, Keon, and Dante- and we proceeded to a little diner on the other side of town. Claire fell into step beside me, and I realized I hadn't talked to her recently. She had been hanging around Tyson more and more.

We fell into a comfortable silence as we plodded along after Leah, Julie, and Jeremy. A shadow was cast over us, and I blinked as Kenya loomed over Claire, smiling as she passed us. She was talking animatedly with Jodi, who seemed to be paying her little to no attention.

"I can't believe she's so big now," I murmured to Claire.

"Right. They just grow up so damn fast, don't they?" she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

"Seriously though," I continued exasperatedly. "Doesn't it bother you that our sweet and naive Kenya could probably tear us to shreds if she so desired?"

Claire appeared thoughtful for a moment, before flicking her tail and shrugging. "Not particularly. Soon enough, I'll be a massive, powerful Charizard." She smiled dreamily, completely ignoring the sour expression that was creeping onto my face.

"It only bothers you," she added. "You're used to being Mr. Macho around here- but things change. Once Dante and I evolve, you'll be the littlest one on the team."

She said it with such ease, as if I should have realized it long ago. And perhaps I should have.

I fell silent; staring at my paws that had once seemed so large, and now seemed small in comparison to Kenya's. Claire was right. Which only registered as one thing in my mind- I had to prove her wrong.

"Size doesn't matter," I nearly growled, though I'm sure my narrowed eyes revealed that even _I_ didn't believe that.

The Charmeleon openly stared at me with a skeptical look, her brow furrowed. But I ignored Claire, and instead occupied myself by extending my claws as I walked. I felt their dull points scrape the dusty, hard earth, and then wondered if I could sharpen them.

I had to up my game, if I wanted my peers to continue respecting me.

_

* * *

_

"Welcome to the ten o'clock news- I'm your host, Alan Williams. Well folks, if you haven't been feeling it in the air, make note of it now. Winter is fast approaching, and bringing with it cooler temperatures and the possibility of rain, and perhaps even snow. Our meteorologists are predicting that this little dry spell won't last much longer. We'll switch over to Daphne now, with our top story. Daph?"

_"Thank you, Alan. Early this morning, three more bodies were found on the western outskirts of Saffron, and they appear to be members of the infamous criminal organization known as Team Rocket. Police have no leads, although they believe it is connected to the two other bodies discovered in Celadon City a few days ago. Police also found the blood of what they think might be a fourth victim-"_

I blinked in surprise as the newscaster was cut short and the television screen turned black, and then looked back at Leah whom was holding the remote. She stretched her arms over her head, a large yawn escaping her.

"It's getting late," she mumbled drowsily to me, as if knowing I had been expecting an explanation.

We had returned from the diner three hours ago, and had spent our down time watching a documentary on Relicanth and having very little conversation. One by one, everyone had been falling asleep strewn around the room- until only Bruce, Kenya, Shelley and I were left awake.

Tak was perched on the arm of the armchair where Bruce was sitting, silently observing us all. Keon was passed out on the end of Julie's bed, and Claire was curled up on the pillow- her tail curled carefully over her back to avoid setting the place on fire. Tyson and Dante lay on the floor next to Kenya, whom was wide awake.

Shelley sat next to me, and had been close to dozing off herself. Julie had fallen asleep on Leah's bed, and was snoring softly.

Leah thumped her over the head with her pillow crossly, and Julie groggily sat up.

"Go sleep on your own bed," Leah muttered, before recalling Claire and Keon so as not to disturb them.

Julie grunted in response, flopped onto her bed, and was snoring again before she even got beneath the covers. Leah rolled her eyes and smiled a little, before pointing at the four of us whom had stayed awake. "Alright you guys, get to sleep. We'll be in Celadon tomorrow afternoon, and you'll need your rest. It'll be a long day."

With that, she crawled under the covers, and fell silent.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Shelley grumbled, before closing her eyes.

I jumped onto Leah's bed, and claimed my usual place at her feet. I curled my tail around my nose, keeping it warm, and let out a huge sigh. My ears flicked as I heard Kenya rise to her feet, and I vaguely remember wondering what she was doing. That is, before I heard Julie yelp in surprise.

Leah quickly turned on her bedside lamp, and we both tried to stifle laughter as we looked to see what was wrong. Julie was scowling at Kenya, whom had jumped onto her bed to sleep with Julie as usual.

"Make your Luxray get _off_ of me," Julie hissed.

Kenya shot her a forlorn look, and slid off the bed looking like a whipped puppy.

"You're too big to sleep on the bed now, Kenya," Leah chided gently. "You'll have to sleep on the floor from now on."

As I curled back up with a smug look of satisfaction, I decided to enjoy sleeping on the bed. It was one of the few benefits to never getting to evolve again.

* * *

The chilling breeze made leaves rustle around her. More specifically, her ears and tail. The wind whipped past, but the Leafeon sat in vigil, staring up at the stars that danced in the night sky. Still as a statue, until a worried voiced called to her from below.

"Miss Kelly? Please come down. You'll catch a cold."

At the sound of the voice, the Leafeon's trance was broken. She shivered slightly, and then sighed. Elda was relieved as the Leafeon slid through the hole in the ceiling, and dropped lightly to the floor below.

"Why on earth would you want to go up there, anyway? It's getting quite cold," Elda asked as she fluffed the bedding for her queen.

"Fresh air helps me think clearly, Elda. You know that."

Elda studied her carefully, before sighing and removing the thorned crown from Kelly's head. "Yes, I know. What have you decided, Miss?"

The Leafeon shook her head. "Nothing. I've run out of ideas. Our supplies are too short to make it through the winter."

The pair fell silent, and Kelly lay down on the newly fluffed bed of peat moss and pine needles. Elda was worried. Kelly seemed so... defeated. The shiny Mankey sat at the edge of the bed, and the Leafeon's liquid brown eyes flicked over to meet hers.

"You know what the elders are going to suggest, tomorrow," Elda murmured morosely.

The Leafeon stiffened, and her eyes glinted with a particular stubbornness. "As long as I am in charge, Elda, we will not resort to hunting other Pokémon," she said firmly. "As for the elders, they can burn in hell."

"Miss Kelly, you know I mean no disrespect when I ask this... but what else are we _supposed_ to do? The clan is starving, Miss."

The Leafeon shot her a venomous glare, and hissed, "Do you think I don't know this? That I am not sympathetic? I haven't eaten in two damn days, Elda!" She paused, and took a shuddering breath before continuing in a more controlled voice. "Believe me, Elda, I know. Their lives depend on my actions. But we will _not_ stoop to the levels of the Pokémon around us. What makes it right, that another Pokémon should die in our place?"

With pursed lips, the Mankey backed away. "You cannot substitute your human morals in place of what's best for the clan. This is what _Pokémon_ do to survive! It may not be fair, but life is not fair, _Madame Okorizaru_."

The young Mankey spat out the title like acid, before turning on her heel, and storming out of the room. Kelly let out a steady stream of curses, and it was then that Grendel's face appeared through the moss curtain.

"Madame, is everything alright?" he boomed, his deep voice sincere.

"Yes," she sighed, not wanting to go into detail. "Elda is just upset. Will you please go and find her?"

The Primeape hesitated, and Kelly persisted. "Grendel, my dear, we've been through this before. I will be _fine_. Go and find her."

He eyed her warily, before obliging and ducking out of her room. Kelly nestled down into her bed, and tried desperately to come up with an alternative to killing other Pokémon for food.

She found none.

~o0o~

She strode into the meeting hall with an air of confidence about her, which she had grown accustomed to faking. The elders studied her with a level gaze, their beady eyes evaluating her every movement. The Leafeon took little comfort that Elda and Grendel flanked her sides, for Elda was still upset with her, and she suspected that Grendel was ultimately loyal to the clan over her.

"Madame Okorizaru," came the feeble voice of the head elder. She gave a curt nod, and then gestured around her. "We have gathered here to learn of your decision regarding the lack of food, Madame."

Kelly struggled to keep her inner turmoil hidden. This was certainly not the time to expose any weaknesses. When the Leafeon finally spoke, her voice cut through the tangible tension.

"As you know, I have tried to refrain from killing other Pokémon to steal their food. And I..." She faltered, and then glanced back at Elda with a look that pleaded her to understand the situation she was in. "And I stand by my original decision. We-"

The meeting hall went into an uproar, the elders howling their displeasure as the head elder spoke over their cacophony.

"Do you understand what your ignorance has just done?" she cried in anguish. "We will all starve! There is no food left in storage!"

"_Silence!_" screeched a voice that echoed throughout the entire room.

The elders paused their woeful cries, and shot an accusing look at Kelly. But it was Elda who stepped forward, and her enraged expression bade them listen.

"Have you forgotten she is our queen?" Elda roared, her fists flailing wildly. "No matter what the Okorizaru commands, we are to listen and respect their decision. It is disgraceful to see that our own elders have forgotten the codes of our society."

"You will speak when spoken to, and only then, mere servant!" snapped one of the elders, his eyes narrowing at the implication that they were incompetent.

"Well, you are speaking to her now, are you not?" Grendel snarled, taking up a protective stance in front of the two females.

"That is enough, Grendel," came a soft voice that soothed him. Kelly nodded at him appreciatively, and then gave Elda a grateful look before stepping forward herself and taking control. "You will allow me to finish, and if you cannot, you will be excused from your positions."

"You don't have the authority, Madame Okorizaru," the head elder cried. "We have had the elder council since this colony was founded. We will not have some... _outsider_ come and destroy us all!"

The Leafeon's fur stood on end, and she glared at them venomously. "You are mistaken. When you placed this crown on my head and invited me into your home, you gave me the authority. Unless you are willing to go against your codes and exile me."

The Leafeon hadn't meant it to sound like a challenge. But that's how it was received.

The head elder rose to her feet, and pointed at the Leafeon. "Get me the crown," she snarled to the four others who sat at her sides. They stared at her incredulously, and she repeated the command, louder this time.

The four older Primeape glanced at the Leafeon warily, and she laughed dryly as her tail flashed and became metallic in appearance.

"What's the matter? Afraid of an _outsider_?" she hissed.

One of them growled, and launched himself at her. Grendel moved forward to protect her, but the Leafeon slipped past him- and slashed the elder mercilessly with an Iron Tail attack. A spray of blood stained the floor, and the fallen creature did not stir. The other three sprang to their feet, and that's when Elda and Grendel began to fight as well.

Elda used her small stature and heightened speed to her advantage, and Grendel used brute strength. Kelly wielded her scythe-like tail, and with their combined efforts, the elderly Primeape fell quickly. The Leafeon stood, panting, with blood dripping down her tail as she eyed the final elder.

"Banished!" the head elder screeched, trembling as she pointed at them accusingly. "If you are not gone before the sun sets, I will have you three killed!"

Grendel and Elda growled, but Kelly only smirked. "That won't be necessary. I am leaving on my own accord." Elda and Grendel both looked at her incredulously, but she continued undeterred.

"I was never fit to be queen, you understand? You need a leader who puts the good of the clan before her own ideals." The Leafeon turned to Elda, and smiled sadly at her. "Since I am currently in charge, however, I will decide who the next Okorizaru will be. Elda, I relinquish my crown to you. I know you are more than capable of running this clan."

Elda gaped at Kelly, but it was the head elder who broke the silence.

"You'll give the crown to the demon-possessed one?" she scoffed, though her eyes were widening in disbelief.

In response, the Leafeon dipped her head, and Grendel removed the thorned crown, before placing it on Elda's head. The shiny Mankey accepted it, but looked at Kelly in disbelief.

"Miss Kelly, you know I can't run the clan! They will not listen to me, they think-"

"They have to now, Madame Okorizaru," Kelly cooed, before bowing her head. "And with Grendel to reinforce it, they will. Take care of yourself, Elda."

The Leafeon sent the elder an icy stare, before striding confidently out of the room. She heard the slapping of bare feet on the stone floor behind her, and turned to see Elda.

"Kelly, where will you go?" she asked with concern. "It is nearly winter, and food is scarce-"

The Leafeon let out a chuckle, and replied, "I will manage. I've been planning on leaving since I arrived, Elda. A clan of Primeape and Mankey is no place for a Leafeon. You'll be one hell of a queen, Elda."

Without another word, the Leafeon left the meeting hall. She padded through the maze of tunnels that had once confused her with confident ease, and then paused in the mouth of the cave.

A light frost covered the grass, and the blades crunched pleasantly beneath her feet as she left behind her temporary home. Something stirred inside her, and she smiled happily.

She was finally free again.

**

* * *

**

********

A/N: A big thank you to Stolloss, who is now the official beta-reader of LitM. *cue standing ovation* ;) As far as I know, I don't have anything too time-consuming going on in these next couple of weeks, so with any luck the next chapter will be posted soon~!

Until next chapter,

~Shelby


	73. Making Preparations

**A/N: Kenya evolved, Jeremy offered to give Julie and Leah a ride to Celadon City, and Kelly left the clan of Primeape and Mankey to roam the Safari Zone.**

**So, yeah, this took a long time. There's something I'd like you to read in the author's note at the bottom, if you wouldn't mind. **

* * *

Chapter 73: 

Making Preparations

A shaft of silvery sunlight streamed in through the Pokémon Center window, cascading across the bedspread and illuminating the dark room. A pair of eyes fluttered open as the sun began to awaken in the sky.

Leah brushed her unruly bangs out of her eyes and squinted at the digital clock on the bedside table. She wriggled her toes underneath the covers, relishing the warmth provided by her Mightyena, who was curled up next to her feet. Not wanting to disturb him, Leah carefully slid out from beneath the crisp linen sheets and eased onto the threadbare carpeting.

She stealthily padded over to her bag and dug out her trainer's belt, some soap to wash herself with, and a change of clothes. When she was sneaking around the massive lump that was her Rampardos, she suddenly heard a faint thumping noise.

Leah slowly turned to see a pair of soulful, gold and crimson eyes staring back at her intently. Shadow's tail thumped pleasantly, but his eyes flashed at her in curiosity.

"I'm just going to take a shower, Shadow," she whispered soothingly, "go back to sleep, okay?"

He blinked at her once, apprehension alight in his eyes, but then nestled his head between his paws and closed his eyes once more. She waited until he was sound asleep before recalling him into his Poké Ball. It was a lot easier to put him in the Poké Ball when he was asleep rather than trying to when he was awake.

Feeling a little guilty for tricking him, she crept into the bathroom and pulled the door shut. But her guilt was washed down the drain as she let the steaming water rain down on her.

* * *

Leah shivered and pulled her thin jacket tighter around her. The frosty grass crunched dully beneath her shoes and the chilly air tinged her cheeks a rosy shade of red. Grey storm clouds were looming overhead, threatening heavy precipitation and casting a gloomy mood over all who walked beneath them.

It reminded her of Sinnoh.

Sinnoh reminded her of Kelly.

She frowned, blinking to fight back the burning tears that threatened to spill over. In an attempt to keep them at bay, she shoved her hands in her pockets and bit her lip stubbornly, but to no avail.

Leah followed behind Jeremy, her eyes watching the ground blankly. It felt odd, she decided, not to have her Pokémon trailing her, ready to pounce on anything that might pose a threat.

"Jeremy, where the heck is Pyro?" Julie asked.

They had exited Lavender Town and were now walking along the the frosty path. Leah watched as the sun peeked out from behind the ominous clouds, making the grass glitter like a vast sea of tiny diamonds. A small smile spread across her face. How could she stay sad for long when the world offered up such beautiful things to try and cheer her up?

"It's a long flight over Saffron," Jeremy explained, snapping Leah from her swirling thoughts, "We'll walk as far as we can, then I'll let Pyro out, okay?"

Leah nodded numbly in response, though her thoughts were elsewhere. They were always elsewhere, it seemed.

"Why on earth did you name a grass-type Pyro?" Julie asked bluntly, the sudden change of subject catching Jeremy off-guard, "Isn't that a common name for a fire-type?"

Jeremy groaned and kicked a rock that lay in the path. It skidded across the ground and landed in the taller grass. Leah's eyes followed it as she only half-listened to Jeremy's reply.

"You don't know how often I get that question. See, I had always wanted a Tropius. So a while after starting my journey I registered with the Global Trading System and traded some kid in Hoenn for one. He was already named Pyro when I got him."

"You sure seem to enjoy trading away your Pokémon," Leah muttered. She could not understand how you could train a Pokémon and bond with them, then turn around and trade them off- just because you wanted a different Pokémon more.

"What did you have to trade for a Tropius? Aren't they kind of rare, even in Hoenn?" Julie asked, rubbing her hands together in an attempt to warm them up.

"Yeah. That little brat made me look all over for a Houndour to trade him." He paused, and pulled out a Poké Ball. "You two ready to fly?"

Jeremy tossed the Poké Ball up and his oddly-named Tropius bellowed happily as he appeared before them in a flash of reddish-pink light. Jeremy slid onto Pyro's back with practiced ease and extended his hand to Leah. He pulled her up behind him, then the two of them helped Julie scramble on board.

Leah awkwardly held on to Jeremy, thankful that he sat in front of her and could not see that her face was flushed- whether it was because of the close contact or due to the wind that stung her cheeks she did not care to find out.

Once everyone was settled, Jeremy whistled to his Tropius. The massive creature flapped his rustling leaf-wings once, then they were airborne.

The icy wind stung Leah's eyes, and she closed them as they ascended into the gray, dismal sky. She did not enjoy flying. The lurching motions Pyro made as he continued his odd flight pattern made her sick to her stomach. After a few minutes, her eyes shot open as she felt Pyro dip down in his flight.

Jeremy yelled something that was lost in the vicious, bitter gusts- something about gaining momentum. Leah leaned forward and strained to hear him, but it was in vain.

Leah watched the ground blur as they picked up speed, then gritted her teeth and grabbed fistfuls of Jeremy's coat as Pyro suddenly began to climb upward again. This nauseating pattern continued for quite some time, so Leah was relieved when Jeremy whistled to his Pokémon and the giant beast slowly lowered himself and his cargo to the ground.

Julie leaped from the Tropius, quivering and looking sick, as well. Leah slid off and Jeremy followed.

"Sorry about the rough flight. It's really windy, today. You get used to it after a while," he assured them, smug grin intact.

"I'm sure," Julie grumbled, clutching her stomach.

Jeremy nodded, and then sighed in an awkward way that told Leah a 'good-bye' came next. She instinctively stiffened, and wrapped her arms around herself protectively. The others did not notice, not that they ever had before. They probably thought she was just cold.

"We're right outside Celadon, now. The gate's just a ways up the path, and you might want to hurry. It's starting to look nasty out here," he added hesitantly, his eyes gazing up into the heavens that seemed they would burst forth with snow or sleet at any given moment.

"So I guess you're heading to Fuchsia City now, right?" Leah asked, studying him levelly.

"Yeah. I've got to leave now if I want to get there before the bad weather gets here," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

She blinked at him, careful to keep her expression indifferent. There was no point expressing her sadness to someone who would leave them anyway.

The three said their goodbyes, and then went their respective ways without so much as a glance backward from Leah.

The two girls looked around as they walked, taking in their surroundings and watching the sky apprehensively. They were silent for a moment, but it was fleeting.

"Ready to let the Pokémon back out?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

* * *

I felt a little betrayed when I felt myself being sucked back into reality. It bothered me that Leah had used such an under-handed trick to get me into my Poké Ball. I shook my fur as I felt the cold ground solidify beneath me, then I glanced around. We weren't in Lavender Town anymore, that was my first observation. Second of all, I noticed how much the temperature had dropped. Shelley and Tak were the only others outside of their Poké Balls, both shivering to try and keep warm.

"We're almost to Celadon City," Leah explained, interpreting my confused expression correctly. "Jeremy just left."

I didn't try to hide my disappointment. Jodi and I hadn't even had a decent chance to talk, and it wasn't like we ran into Jeremy all that often.

The wind chilled me to the bone, and I marveled at how worthless my fur was. Mightyena were adapted to live in the humid tropics of Hoenn, and obviously it was a bit colder in Kanto. Unless I grew a winter coat I was doomed to be cold all winter.

"So, Leah, are you going to challenge the Gym today?" Julie asked, hugging herself tighter as another gust of wind whooshed past us.

"I thought about it," Leah said, "but I decided we need to do some essential shopping, first. I want to buy some new TMs, and we need to buy some winter clothes. I hear Celadon has a huge department store."

The wrought iron gates to Celadon City came into view and so did the large buildings that loomed behind it. It awed me to think that this wasn't even the largest city in Kanto. We hadn't been to Saffron yet, but at the rate we were traveling it could be spring before we got there.

Everyone hustled a bit, eager to get to the department store to escape the chilling gusts of air. Celadon's streets were bustling with activity. Cars zoomed by, which was quite a sight considering they were uncommon anywhere other than large cities. People and Pokémon alike swarmed the streets and sidewalks- silent, rushed, and oblivious to everyone around them.

I felt something wet on my nose and glanced upward. A few tiny snowflakes drifted down from the sky, lazily floating along on the wind. A feeling of sweet nostalgia swept over me as snowflakes landed on my eyelashes. This reminded me of home; this reminded me of Sinnoh. I giddily stuck my tongue out, relishing the taste of fresh snow. My happiness was short-lived, however. Apparently Leah and Julie weren't as tolerant to the snow. They set off at a brisk walk down the sidewalk, huddled close together and visibly shivering. Shelley, unwilling to keep up the pace in the snow, squawked her displeasure. Julie paused to pick her up, as well as Tak, who was perched on her head-leaf.

People hurried by us, only glancing at us long enough to stare warily at me. I did my best to look meek and tame by pressing my ears flat to my head and sticking close to Leah.

It wasn't long before we entered the doors of the bustling Celadon Department Store. Trainers and their Pokémon were packed into the large building, and most of the former had their arms loaded down with shopping bags and packages. I followed closely behind Leah, feeling a bit unnerved in the large crowd.

The farther upward we ventured in the massive skyscraper the more crowded it became. The people who milled around were, obviously, trainers. Little outlet stores for training essentials all vied for our attention, but Leah and Julie made a beeline to the trainer clothing supply store and immediately began looking for winter coats.

I flopped in the dusty, cobweb-filled corner with Tak and Shelley and tried my best to look as bored as possible so they might be persuaded to leave sooner. But of course, they were preteen girls in a clothing store. With thousands of dollars burning a hole in Leah's pocket and more stashed in the PC box.

This could take a while.

* * *

**A/N: The first thing I want to do is apologize. I'm a little ashamed. Not only did it take me over a month to update, but it was a very short filler chapter, to boot. The next chapter will be of regular length. However, I'm officially announcing a ****_hiatus._**** Well, of sorts. I'll be actively writing the next chapter, without the pressure of trying to update in a reasonable amount of time. I promise the next update will be up by mid-February. However, there's the possibility it may be posted much sooner than that.**

**If you're worried about me abandoning the story, I can assure you that's not the case. There's no way in hell I'll quit- not when I'm over 70 chapters in. **

**I hope you had a Merry Christmas. Stay happy, healthy, and safe this holiday season. God bless, and have a happy new year. :)**

**Until next year,**

**~Firebird**


	74. Vs Erika

**A/N: The gang moved from Lavender Town to Celadon City, it began snowing, and the girls went shopping. Yeah, not much to remember. xD**

******After an extended hiatus, I am _back_, baby! With a Gym battle chapter that I hope will make up for my being gone so long.**

**********As much work as I put into this chapter, there are three gentlemen who are the main reasons I was able to get it up... you know, not later than now. :P There's my beta-reader, Stolloss, who is amazing. You have no idea. Then there's Fear the Pika, my good friend who motivated me to keep working on it even when my writer's block, and who helped me edit as well. Then there's Indigo Crescent, another friend of mine, who was a big help with descriptions. Thank you all. Without you guys, this wouldn't even be near being finished.**

**********I hope you all enjoy the chapter~**

* * *

Chapter 74

Vs. Erika

The next morning found us standing outside the Celadon City Gym, with a lot less cash in Leah's bag. Both girls donned new coats, hats, gloves, and scarves. I wasn't as fortunate.

I shivered in the chilly morning air as we approached the Gym doors, where an older man was peering inside the windows. He wore a tattered coat, and his shoes had holes in them. When we were almost to the doors, he turned to us and ogled Leah and Julie. I bristled, and gave him a low warning growl in the hopes he would scram.

He eyed me warily, but didn't move from his position. Leah and Julie took one glance at the way he studied them intently, and they slipped into the Gym's doors as quickly as possible. I tried to focus on the battle ahead, but my mind was filled with memories of the underground tunnel.

A pleasant aroma drifted over us when we stepped into the Gym. The Gym itself resembled a massive greenhouse and flowers of every color imaginable bloomed all around us. We looked around for a receptionist to sign up for a battle, but we found none. Two stone paths wound their way through the flowers and bushes- one labeled 'Viewing Section', and the other leading to the battle arena.

"Good luck," Julie sighed as she gave Leah a quick hug. "We'll be cheering for you."

Julie walked down the path that branched to the right, with Shelley trailing her and Tak perched on her shoulder. Bruce wished us luck as well, then followed after his trainer.

Leah watched them go, almost reluctantly. I noticed her pale, slender hand was trembling slightly- like a leaf blowing in a soft autumn breeze.

"You ready, Shadow?" she asked, her voice firmer and calmer than I would have expected. I pushed my head beneath her hand and wagged my tail in reassurance. She smiled fleetingly and rubbed behind my ears. Then, without further hesitation, she stepped onto the stone pathway and made her way to the center of the Gym.

The arena was much smaller than any of the others we had encountered, and I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. It was covered in lush green grass, with flowers sprouting up here and there. It hardly looked like a battlefield. In fact, it resembled a carefully tended garden.

Erika's emerald eyes followed us steadily as we entered the arena. One glance at her took my breath away. She was _stunning_. Her short black hair shined in the bright greenhouse lights, and her pale ivory skin was without flaw. In sharp contrast was her kimono, made of bright fabric. She smiled kindly at us as we made our way to the challenger's platform and stifled a yawn with her delicate hand.

"Hello," Erika called out, her voice soft like a gentle breeze, "and welcome to my Gym. I assume you're here to battle me?"

"I am," Leah said a little too loudly, her voice cutting through the silence in the greenhouse.

Erika winced, but remained pleasant. "And what might your name be?"

Leah sheepishly answered her in a softer voice, but as she took in her surroundings with an astonished expression it became apparent that her thoughts were elsewhere.

Unlike the previous Gyms we had challenged, the spectator area was rather small. Julie and her Pokémon were the only ones sitting in the vine-covered, wooden bleachers. A few gardeners milled around, and some of them gathered around to watch.

Erika nodded at Leah, and drew a Poké Ball from her pocket. With a single flick of her wrist, the sphere flew through the air, and the battle began.

In a burst of reddish-pink light her first Pokémon appeared. It was squat and round, with a face shrouded by wriggling blue vines.

"A Tangela, huh?" Leah murmured to herself, retrieving a Poké Ball of her own from her belt. "Claire, let's go!"

I smirked as the confident Charmeleon materialized on the field. Her tail flicked lazily behind her as she stretched in an unhurried, haughty manner.

Unperturbed, the Tangela shot four or five vines into the ground, and they glowed with a faint light as it used Ingrain. Claire lazily spat a few flames in the Tangela's general direction, before getting plowed in the face by a well-aimed Bullet Seed.

"Focus, Claire!" Leah scolded. "This is a Gym Battle. You need to take this seriously."

Claire rolled her eyes, but shifted into a battle stance and glared at the Tangela. Erika ordered a Bind attack, and the Tangela's writhing vines sprang into action.

Before Claire could retaliate, vines snaked around her ankles, arms, and neck. They pulled her to the ground, and began squeezing. She squirmed helplessly, clawing at the vines around her neck. In a desperate effort, she swung her tail around and let the flames singe the vines that held her.

It hissed in pain, the vines retracting as Claire stumbled backwards.

Erika did not look pleased, her smile faltering as she watched the Charmeleon break free of Bind. I immediately knew what she had been planning to do. By pinning Claire to the ground, it made her vulnerable to short range status-inducing techniques. I sucked in a sharp breath, and hoped Claire was sensible enough to steer clear of the Tangela's vines.

"Enough fooling around, Claire, this should be easy," Leah called out. "Just use Flamethrower until it faints!"

Claire exhaled, and a pillar of intense flames escaped from her maw. The fire scorched the Tangela, and it screeched in pain. The Tangela's roots healed some of the damage with Ingrain, but it was still badly injured. Welts and blisters covered the tentacles that had come in contact with Claire's fire, and the Tangela was breathing heavily.

In a last ditch effort to inflict damage of some sort, Erika called out an order, trying a new strategy.

Purple, acidic goo seeped up from the ground directly beneath Claire's clawed feet. Once the Toxic technique made contact with her scarlet, scaly skin, Claire shuddered, and immediately broke out into a sweat. Claire staggered as the vicious poison surged through her body, while the Tangela regained health with Ingrain. I growled in frustration. Things weren't looking so good.

"Claire, hang in there long enough to use Flamethrower one last time!"

The Charmeleon lurched forward, and mustered up all her strength to use one last Flamethrower, sending a white-hot jet of red-banded flame towards her opponent. Her aim was true, and the scalding fire engulfed the Tangela. The grass-type screeched in agony, and then collapsed to the ground. Erika recalled it, and whispered a few kind words to the Poké Ball before tucking it back into her pocket and stifling a yawn.

"I shouldn't have forgotten that Charmeleon has the Blaze ability. But that won't matter now, your Pokemon is too hurt to fire off any more attacks," she said as she released her next Pokemon, a Victreebel.

The ugly yellow plant towered over Claire, who swayed on her feet and then crumpled onto the ground- unable to continue. An aromatic, honey-like smell wafted over us. Who knew such a repulsive creature could smell so good?

Leah reluctantly recalled the Charmeleon, then frowned at her remaining Poké Balls.

"I was sort of counting on Claire to just torch all of Erika's Pokémon with ease," Leah murmured. "But there's always plan B. Get out there, Shadow."

At first I was a bit surprised she decided to send me out, but I _did_ know two super-effective moves. I trotted out into the center of the arena, tensing my muscles as I faced the Victreebel. It gurgled and blinked at me indifferently as we waited for the commands from our respective trainers.

Erika ordered an Acid attack and suddenly we both leapt into action.

Purple acidic fluid was sprayed at me from the Victreebel's mouth. I side-stepped the attack with ease- the corrosive liquid missed me completely and sizzled when it made contact with the ground. I retaliated with a Dark Pulse. Seemingly unaffected, the grass-type lunged forward, lashing out with a malicious Vine Whip attack. I yelped as the slender vine slashed my back, slicing through the skin and leaving a stinging gash. The vine retracted as the Victreebel prepared for another command.

"Victreebel, use Stockpile!" Erika called out confidently.

Her Pokémon blinked in response, then its eyes closed as orbs of yellow energy were sapped from the ground and absorbed.

Realizing what Erika was planning, I growled in frustration. Stockpile was going to make it much more difficult to inflict any damage because it increased the Victreebel's defenses.

"Fire Fang, Shadow!" Leah commanded, oblivious to my little revelation.

I charged the Victreebel with gaping jaws, my fangs cloaked with flickering orange flames- if smell was anything to go by, this was going to taste a lot better than anything else I had been ordered to bite. I clamped down on the grass-type's midsection and held on, singing its leathery yellow skin. The Fly Catcher Pokémon's eyes snapped open, and it gurgled in pain.

A bitter taste filled my mouth as the flames subsided, and I loosened my grip- shaking my head in a futile attempt to rid myself of the fluid that was assaulting my taste buds.

The Victreebel continued to Stockpile energy, and so I took the initiative to use Howl.

I tilted my head back and let the mournful sound fill the Gym, relishing the sense of power that surged through my body as a result. Leah seemed to get the general idea and decided to rely on a bit of strategy.

"Good, Shadow. Now use Sand Attack while it's storing energy."

Happy to oblige, I scraped the ground with a quick swipe of my forepaw. A spray of gritty sand flew into my opponent's eyes, obscuring its vision and giving me an immediate advantage.

Erika ordered her Pokémon to use Swallow, and with one gulp, suddenly the Victreebel was at full health once again. Looking rather frustrated that our minimal progress had been destroyed, Leah told me to use Sand Attack once more.

But before I could react, the Victreebel let out a shrill banshee-like scream and unleashed a barrage of sharpened leaves. The Razor Leaf attack missed me for the most part, but a few lanced my legs. Stifling a yelp, I skidded to a stop and kicked up another Sand Attack. The Victreebel hissed and squirmed in protest as its vision blurred.

"That should do it, Shadow," Leah said quickly. "Now try Swagger!"

Having never used that attack before, I let my instincts take over as I faced the blinded Victreebel. Mustering up my most intimidating glare, my body pulsed red as I attempted to confuse the Victreebel. Its blank eyes drifted shut, but when they opened again, they were glowing red.

If I remembered correctly, Swagger not only confused my opponent, but also heightened their power. So I had to be careful.

"A clever strategy," Erika said. "But we're not done yet. Victreebel, hurry, use Sunny Day!"

"Shadow, get in another Sand Attack while you can!"

The Victreebel struggled to overcome its confusion, and for a moment, it looked like it wouldn't succeed. But then a sphere of blinding white light appeared on both of its leaves. I watched in awe as they grew in size, then rocketed into the air above us. They joined together to form a miniature sun, and I could feel the tangible heat in the air.

Remembering Leah's request for yet another Sand Attack, I swiped at the ground and watched as the Victreebel finally stirred. With lightning speed, it bounced towards me, narrowing the gap between us.

I was shocked to say the least, and had to roll to the side to avoid the Vine Whip attack. Looking back, I should have known that its Chlorophyll ability is what enabled it to move so quickly in the strong sunlight. But there on the battlefield, in the midst of everything, it was perplexing to say the least.

The Victreebel blindly continued past me until Erika called out another command. It looked at her blankly, and promptly began smacking itself in the face with its own vine.

"Now's your chance, Shadow! Come around from behind and attack with Fire Fang!"

I circled the Victreebel and approached it cautiously. The disgusting grass-type was still hitting itself in the face when I lunged and sank my fiery teeth into its flesh. Sunny Day gave me a surge of power, and flames erupted from my throat. I didn't hold on too long before the bitter taste filled my mouth yet again, and I spat as I backed away.

Considerably weakened, the Victreebel swayed side to side, barely remaining coherent. I smirked confidently- this wasn't going to last much longer.

"Victreebel, Solarbeam!" Erika commanded, her face pinched in frustration.

The pseudo-sun that hovered above us began to glow with white-hot intensity, and then a beam of bright light struck the ground… ten feet away from me. I sighed with relief- never again would I underestimate Sand Attack.

Leah was grinning as she yelled, "Shadow, finish with Dark Pulse!"

Grateful she hadn't asked me to bite that nasty grass-type again, I summoned up the beam of dark energy and unleashed it on the weakened, confused, and blinded Victreebel. It swayed back and forth, then made a gurgling sound as it collapsed upon the ground.

Faintly, I could hear Julie cheering from the sidelines as Erika recalled her Pokémon.

"That was great, Shadow," Leah praised, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I waved my tail back and forth in contentment, then turned back to face Erika. She was thoughtfully silent as she tossed her last Poké Ball into the air.

I tensed as the Vileplume materialized. There was no doubt in my mind Erika had saved her best for last. And as powerful as the Victreebel had been, I wasn't optimistic this would be an easy win.

The Vileplume- unlike the indifferent Tangela and repulsive Victreebel- had a pleasant expression on her face as she half-danced into the middle of the arena. With every bouncy, jovial step, an ominous cloud of toxic spores rose behind the Flower Pokémon.

"Vileplume, let's start with Sweet Scent!"

"Shadow, get in one more Fire Fang before the sunlight fades!"

I snarled as I pounced on the Vileplume's beautiful red petals; they were scorched dark brown by the time I let go. She whimpered slightly at the injury, but shook it off with surprising ease.

The Vileplume then proceeded to twirl on one stubby foot, like a ballerina. A cloud of shimmering pink spores erupted from the center of her flower, and combined with her twirling, it made a miniature tornado. The Vileplume suddenly stopped her spinning and the Sweet Scent whirlwind engulfed me.

I tried to hold my breath, but the sweet-smelling substance clung to my nostrils. When the lack of oxygen began to make me light-headed, I allowed the aroma to fill me. A calm feeling washed over me as I inhaled, and I suddenly felt very sluggish. I was finding it a little difficult to move, but damn, I didn't care. It smelled so _pleasant_.

When the aroma faded a little bit, I felt drawn to the Vileplume by an unknown force. I stumbled over to her, not even noticing the confident smirk on her face until it was too late.

Leah yelled at me to get away from the Vileplume, but I paid her no heed. My opponent winked at me smugly, and then a puff of light yellow powder shot out of the center of her flower. Suddenly realizing what was happening, I tried to dart out of the way, but my legs were slow to respond.

The lazy yellow powder- that normally would be easy to avoid- coated me, clinging to my fur like fine dust.

"Dang it!" Leah half-exclaimed, half-growled as she grasped for options.

The sunlight faded, which not only reduced the Vileplume's speed, but also returned Fire Fang to normal power. Erika had planned for this- I was sure of it. Now that Stun Spore had effectively paralyzed me, my speed was nearly halved.

"Shadow, try to use Ice Fang," Leah commanded finally, her voice uncertain.

I lurched forward, but then froze before I managed to take more than three steps. My muscles cramped, and then constricted painfully as I stopped dead in my tracks. My eyes, the only thing that seemed to be functioning, flicked around nervously. The thought of being an easy target, with no way to defend myself, or retaliate, made me feel vulnerable and agitated.

"Good work, Vileplume. Next up is Giga Drain."

My limbs jerked suddenly as I managed to stumble forward, but I didn't get far before green orbs of energy were sapped from my body. A wave of exhaustion washed over me, leaving me with very little strength to continue the battle. The paralysis seemed to be wearing off a bit, which I was grateful for.

"Shadow, let's go with Dark Pulse!"

"Counter with Energy Ball, Vileplume, then finish with Bullet Seed!"

A beam of dark matter met a large emerald colored sphere in midair, creating a vibrant explosion. Before I had time to prepare another attack, a succession of rapidly-fired seeds pelted me in the chest. They knocked the wind out of me, sending me careening to the side, and then I collapsed on the ground.

My sides were heaving as I lay sprawled out on the lush grass field, trying to catch my breath.

"Shadow, return," Leah said, patting her thigh softly as if to give me permission to leave the battle.

Laboriously, I arose from my prone position in the middle of the arena and limped over to her. Leah leaned over and scratched me behind the ears, looking quite pleased.

"You were awesome out there, Shadow," she whispered soothingly as she sprayed me with a Full Heal, and then a Super Potion. "Just take a rest, Keon can finish this."

Leah pitched Keon's Poké Ball into the air and his hulking figure appeared in a bright flash of pinkish light. Muscles rippled beneath his thick gray hide as our Machoke clenched his fists and smirked confidently at the Vileplume.

Erika raised an eyebrow curiously. "A Machoke against a grass-type? That's a new one. I'll admit, I was expecting something more along the lines of a flying type."

Leah ignored her, commanding a Focus Energy from Keon. His eyes drifted shut as a faint red light pulsated across his body. When the technique was finished he grunted, new power surging through him.

I knew what Leah was up to- by increasing Keon's chance for a critical hit with Focus Energy, she could ensure a quick, easy victory. An all-out offensive was a necessity, considering Keon's terrible defenses.

Erika smiled pleasantly, and shook her head. "Nice try, Ms. Walsch. But that isn't going to work. Vileplume, counter with Lucky Chant!"

Her Pokémon nodded deftly, and then turned her eyes to the sky. She mumbled an incantation, her mouth twisting to form foreign words and syllables that I couldn't comprehend. When the Vileplume had finished her chant, she blinked, and then glanced around sheepishly.

Nothing had happened, or at least not that we could see. Leah and I shared a puzzled glance, and then she whipped out her Pokédex to see what effect the move had.

Erika noticed this, and chuckled softly. "Lucky Chant prevents you from landing any critical hits. Looks like you're back at square one. Vileplume, Energy Ball!"

Leah gritted her teeth in annoyance, and yelled out, "Keon, take the hit and follow up with Revenge!"

The Vileplume gathered energy between her stubby blue arms- forming a swirling emerald sphere. Keon eyed it warily, and then flinched as the sphere curved in a graceful arc- hitting him square in the chest.

He grunted at the force of the blow, but surged forward anyway with flashing eyes as he executed a flawless Revenge attack with a swift punch to the Vileplume's torso. With a squeal she fell backwards, and then struggled to get up.

"Quick Vileplume, Giga Drain!"

"Keon, finish with Ice Punch!"

Before any energy could be sapped from Keon to replenish the Flower Pokémon's low health, a swift fist coated in ice slammed into the Vileplume. She whimpered and blinked once before slumping to the ground, moaning feebly.

Keon folded his meaty arms across his chest smugly, and tossed Leah and me a cocky glance over his shoulder. Poor guy didn't realize I had weakened her up for him.

Erika solemnly recalled her final Pokémon, and then nodded at Leah with a small smile on her face.

"Not bad, Ms. Walsch. Your Pokémon certainly respect you, and now I can see why. Congratulations. Please come forward and accept your Rainbow Badge."

With Keon and I flanking her, Leah crossed the arena and was met with a firm handshake from Erika.

"I think you have the potential to go far," Erika murmured with an encouraging wink. "But be careful. The next two Gym Leaders you can challenge are Janine and Sabrina- and both of them are far more powerful from anyone you've ever faced. Good luck."

With a genuine smile, Erika pressed the Rainbow Badge into Leah's palm. Leah looked up at Erika, respect shimmering in her eyes as she thanked the young woman for the battle, and most importantly, the badge. And with that, we exited the arena, rejoined our friends in the lobby, and headed out the door- one step closer to our goal.

That night, after spending the rest of the day celebrating and relaxing, I woke up to the faint sound of the door to our room creaking open. Instantly curious, I lifted my head to see Leah leaving the room.

I whined softly and slid from the bed to join her.

"Wait for me," mumbled a raspy voice behind me, and I turned to see Claire stretching and yawning before sleepily stumbled along after us.

Leah gently closed the door behind us, and then frowned at us with slight disapproval. "You two should get some sleep. We'll be training a lot tomorrow, and you need your rest."

I waved my tail at her good-naturedly, pretending to be oblivious to her request. Claire, on the other hand, went for the not-so-subtle approach and folded her crimson arms across her chest stubbornly, a defiant spark in her eyes.

Leah tried to maintain her stern look, but then simply chuckled and shook her head in defeat.

"Fine. You can come with me. But don't be whining tomorrow during training when you're exhausted."

We followed her down the dimly lit hall, into the deserted Pokémon Center lobby. The Nurse Joy had long since gone to bed, leaving a note and a bell on the counter, to reach her if there was an emergency. A lone Chansey was humming to herself as she swept the floor. Upon our entrance she glanced up, and then shyly waddled to the back room- leaving us all alone.

Leah sat on the couch near the window, where the moonlight streamed in. She reached inside her pocket and pulled out the Rainbow Badge, turning it over and over in her palms as it caught the light and sparkled.

"I wish she could have seen this," she sighed thoughtfully, before holding the badge down where we could get a closer look.

The flower-shaped badge was the most beautiful we had received- the many different colored gems held true to its name. I touched my nose to it briefly, and let my eyes flutter shut. Claire prodded it with a gleaming ivory claw, and then rested her head on Leah's knee in a rare sign of tenderness and affection.

"You know what else I wish?" Leah asked, as she tucked the Rainbow Badge back into her pocket. "That Kelly could have seen how powerful you two have become. She would be proud, you know that, right?"

I wagged my tail in response and Claire nodded. A thoughtful silence fell over us as Leah turned her attention to the window, watching the wind whip up the freshly fallen snow in a shimmering whirlwind.

"You miss her a lot, don't you?"

The question caught me off guard. I glanced back at Claire curiously, her sapphire eyes showing nothing but gentle, genuine concern. This also surprised me. Ever since her evolution she had become hot-headed, temperamental, and stubborn. Although Dante had assured me after her evolution that it was natural for her species, due to hormonal changes, it was still nice to see a little of the old Claire shine through.

"Yeah," I replied gruffly, my thoughts distracting me from giving her some eloquent answer. She turned away from me slightly, and for a moment I thought she was going to leave it be. But then she spoke up again, her voice softer this time.

"Do you ever think about how things could have been? I mean, if she hadn't died?"

"I used to," I admitted. "But I realized dwelling on it wouldn't bring her back. I'm a lucky guy. And I'm grateful for what I _do_ have."

Claire nodded, my answer seeming to appease her as she leaned back against the couch, careful to keep her tail curled in front of her.

"Can you believe we're halfway done with our adventure?" she asked after a few minutes. "I mean, we just earned our fourth badge. What happens after… after we defeat the Pokémon League?"

"We'll face the Elite Four, I guess. After that, who knows? Maybe we'll challenge another region. I hear Hoenn has beautiful beaches."

"Maybe... but, what if Leah gets bored with training? What will she do with us? Let's be honest. A Charizard doesn't exactly make an ideal house pet."

I fell silent. I had never really considered it, to be honest. But when I glanced up at Claire I saw vulnerability and anxiety. An overwhelming urge to comfort her flooded my body.

"I'm sure everything will be fine, Claire. Don't dwell on the past, and don't worry about the future. Just focus on what's happening right here, right now."

She smiled, and then turned her attention to the swirling, drifting snow outside the window. As I watched Leah and Claire, with their mesmerized expressions, I thought about our discussion. It seemed like so little time had passed, and yet, Claire had been right- our journey was half over.

And yet, in some ways, it was only just beginning.

* * *

**A/N: I sincerely hope you enjoyed this chapter. I feel a little apprehensive... like some of you might have lost interest in this (nearly) three-month long hiatus. I hope you'll let me know what you thought in a review, or even a PM. **

**Hopefully it won't take me so long to get the next chapter out. That would be borderline pathetic. xD**

**Stay happy, stay healthy~**

**~Firebird**


	75. Team Bonding

**A/N: Wowza! Bet you weren't expecting to hear from little 'ol me so soon, were ya? ;) Yes, I got inspired one day and wrote this in a reasonable amount of time. Shocking, I know. But rejoice and be happy, because it didn't take three months this time. ^^ Hope you're ready for a chapter of pure character development and setup for plot progression, because that's pretty much what you're getting here. So. Enjoy~**

**Also. This is the part where I thank those three awesomesauce people who helped me with this chapter, because it was a mess before they got to it. You know who you are. :)**

**ReCap~ Shadow and Co. earned the Rainbow Badge from Erika, and Claire and Shadow had a little personal moment towards the end. :3**

* * *

Chapter 75:

Team Bonding

Leah was up at the crack of dawn, bustling around our room and putting on multiple layers of clothes. Everyone let out a mutual groan of frustration- this could only mean one thing.

"Wake up, guys," she whispered, trying not to wake Julie. "We've got a lot of training to do today!"

She pulled on her gloves and adjusted her hat and scarf before grinning widely at us. I groaned inwardly as Leah recalled her Pokémon, leaving only me out of my Poké Ball.

She tiptoed quietly out the door, after telling Bruce where we would be training so he could relay the message to Julie. He only nodded in response, and I made a mental note to speak with the mysterious Lucario soon. We had yet to learn about his past, and my curiosity was getting the better of me.

Leah walked briskly down the hallway, the patterned tile flooring echoing each of her footsteps. I lumbered along behind her sluggishly, my exhausted body protesting every step. Muscles I didn't even know I _had _were sore.

"Would you keep up, Shadow?" Leah asked, her voice showing she was on the brink of annoyance. "I want to get a head start on training today- Dante is _so _close to evolving. If you can't keep up, I'll just have to put you back in your Poké Ball…"

Smart enough to recognize the not-so-subtle threat, I quickened my pace and tried to ignore the toll the previous day's Gym battle had taken on me.

We passed through the doors to the Pokémon Center after Leah grabbed a bagel from the complementary breakfast counter, and I was pleasantly surprised to see it wasn't that cold out. The chilly wind ruffled my thick raven-colored fur, but the cheery sun beamed down and warmed me to the core. I blinked repeatedly to acclimate my eyes to the glistening bright white snow and trailed behind Leah obediently.

Leah selected a small, secluded area south of the city that was protected from the biting gusts of wind by a cluster of trees. I picked my way around the snow, trying to avoid falling into the drifts and getting soaked.

"I think this spot will work nicely," Leah mused aloud, before unclipping her Poké Balls from her belt and tossing them into the air.

Steam rose from beneath Claire's feet as her hot skin came in contact with the snow, curling away from her in tiny wisps. Irritated by the slush surrounding her, Claire puffed a small Ember at the ground and melted it. Satisfied, she stepped onto her dry patch and yawned.

"Claire, that was a good idea," Leah praised her. "Do you think you could use Flamethrower to clear a space for us to battle?"

Claire readily agreed and blazed herself a path to the middle of the clearing before unleashing a powerful jet of flames and twirling in a circle. This resulted in a large circular arena to battle in- not to mention a few nearby trees with scorch marks on them. Looking quite pleased with herself, Claire took a battle stance and looked to Leah expectantly.

"Claire, I was going to work with Dante first… I mean, he's so close to evolving..."

Acrid black smoke curled away from Claire's nostrils in irritation, but she didn't budge. I recognized that determined glint in her eye. She wanted evolution- perhaps worse than even Keon had.

Leah took pity on her and motioned said Machoke to the battlefield with a resigned sigh. "Oh, fine. But only since you were kind enough to clear the field for us. Today, Claire, we need to work on your physical offense. Your special attacks are second to none, but I realized something when you were trapped by Erika's Tangela. We haven't really worked on close-range attacks. So, that's why I'm setting you up against Keon; he's pretty much the expert on those."

Claire eyed Keon levelly, and he smiled at her. I knew this would be interesting to watch. They both had an insane amount of competitive spirit.

"Claire, you're not allowed to use anything other than physical attacks. Keon, we're mostly going to work on your defense. Try to block all her advances or dodge, but if she lands a hit, you're allowed to strike back. You may begin… now!"

Claire lunged forward, her claws flashing as she mercilessly slashed at Keon. He nimbly deflected the blow with the flick of his wrist, twirling her around and sending her tumbling to the ground. With a snarl, she rose to her feet and tried over and over again, missing her mark every time.

Wild-eyed with frustration, Claire inhaled as if to blast Keon with Flamethrower.

"Claire!" Leah yelled sharply, startling the young fire dragon from finishing the attack. "Keep your temper under control, or you'll sit out. Now, try to focus on faking him out, instead of going for a direct hit. You have speed on your side, Claire, learn to utilize it."

Claire, looking a bit ashamed, nodded and took a deep breath.

"You ready to keep going?" Keon asked, an impish smile playing at his lips.

"Of course," Claire retorted, her tail flicking behind her in annoyance. "The real question here is, are _you_?"

Before he could reply, Claire darted forward with her left paw extended, claws glinting in the early morning sunlight. Keon easily diverted her first assault, but he hadn't seen her right set of claws cloaked with bluish-purple energy. The Dragon Claw attack caught him in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards with a grunt of pain.

As their sparring continued, the fight began to even out. Neither was gaining- or losing- much ground. Leah looked incredibly pleased, but still yelled out tips to the two every now and again, if only for the sake of playing the devil's advocate.

After watching the rigorous battle for a good while, I became bored and glanced around. Kenya was still watching intently, her dark blue paws twitching in anticipation for battle. Tyson was snoozing off and on, paying little attention to the battle at hand. And then, there was Dante.

He sat on the ground next to Leah's bag, brow furrowed, as he watched the battle with a scrutinizing eye. A pang of guilt hit me as I watched him; I hadn't talked to him much since he had refused to read the newspaper clipping for me. Things had gotten hectic with the Gym battle and our trip from Lavender Town to Celadon, but perhaps now was the time to make things right.

I walked hesitantly over to him, my ears flattened in an attempt to look meek.

"Hey," I said as I sat on my haunches with a casual yawn. He glanced up at me in surprise, his eyebrow raising skeptically. "I, uh… are you excited about evolving soon, Dante? Leah seems to think it will be today," I added, hoping to spark a conversation.

He ducked his head, looking deeply troubled. "If the Pokédex is accurate, I should have evolved one level ago. So while it is not an entirely far-fetched idea that I could evolve today, there is an equivalent chance I will not."

"Oh, you might be surprised," I murmured soothingly. "The Pokédex lists the _average _level of evolution. Nothing is set in stone- all Pokémon are different. It took Claire longer to evolve than normal, you know. Don't worry about it that much."

He gave me an appreciative look, and then gave an audible sigh of relief. "I know I should not brood over evolution. It's just-"

A roar of pain came from the makeshift battlefield, cutting off the Psyduck's sentence and grabbing our attention immediately. We watched as Keon picked himself up off the ground slowly, a fresh gash across his shoulder. Both Claire and Keon were panting heavily, but they were also smirking playfully at each other. Claire's scarlet skin was mottled with purplish bruises, and Keon had a multitude of cuts and scratches dripping with crimson droplets of blood.

"Ready to give up?" Keon jeered playfully, using the pause in fighting to catch his breath.

Claire snorted, her eyes twinkling with mirth. "I could keep going all day."

Keon chuckled deeply and fluidly dodged to the side as Claire lunged forward once more.

I shook my head, grinning. "Those two are too competitive for their own good. Anyways, you were saying…?"

"Oh, yes, of course," Dante mumbled, shuffling his webbed feet a bit before glancing up again. "I suppose I constantly fret about my evolution because, well, I'm tired of being a minuscule, insignificant member of the team. It's also indisputable that I am the weakest link, now that everyone else has proceeded to evolve. I suppose I just feel like I am a hindrance the team."

This last sentence struck me as quite ironic, because I had felt that way immediately following Kenya's evolution. Perhaps I wasn't so different from the intellectual little Psyduck after all.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't worry about it too much," I said in an off-hand manner, stretching my forelegs out lazily. "Once you evolve, I'll be taking the position of the smallest and weakest on the team."

"Yes, but you possess leadership qualities. Everyone here will always respect and listen to you, because you've been here the longest and we all trust you with our lives." I smiled at him appreciatively, and he added with a smirk, "Even if you can be a precocious, arrogant asshole at times."

I grinned sheepishly, and said softly, "Yeah, sorry about that. I was only joking around, but I guess I took it a bit too far."

He shrugged, "I should have proceeded rationally instead of snapping at you. Sometimes I have difficulty distinguishing a joke from condescension."

"What you lack in social skills, you make it up with incredible intelligence," I told him, hoping he would accept this as an apology.

His yellow-feathered visage softened immediately, and his beak curved up at the edges in his version of a smile. "Thank you, Shadow. So, tell me. What favor was it that you intended to ask?"

I opened my mouth to reply when a yelp came from the skirmish in the clearing. Keon stood triumphant over our Charmeleon, who was struggling to prop herself up on one elbow.

"Good work, you two!" Leah exclaimed. "That was great! Claire, you really perfected that Dragon Claw technique. And Keon, great improvement on that defense!"

Claire winced in pain and let out a low moan. Keon noticed this immediately and offered her his large grey hand to help her up. I was surprised as she eyed him with what appeared to be a glimmer of respect and reluctantly accepted his offer. He beamed at her, and helped steady her as the two made their way back to the rest of us.

"That was, like, totally awesome you two!" Kenya purred happily, her tail flicking behind her in anticipation for her turn to train.

The pair shot her a grateful glance and sat next to Dante and me. Before I could continue telling Dante about the newspaper clipping, Leah called him over to her.

He shot me an apologetic look, but the way he scrambled over to her in a rush made me think he was too excited about the prospect of evolving to _really _mind leaving the conversation. I chuckled to myself at his enthusiasm- I couldn't really blame him.

Leah walked over and sprayed Keon and Claire with two Hyper Potions, before excitedly turning to Dante and ordering him onto the field. He waddled out there excitedly, his yellow down feathers ruffled as he eyed us all carefully- his prospective opponents.

Leah glanced at her strategy notebook, and pointed at us vaguely. "Kenya, you'll be facing Dante."

The Psyduck suddenly looked crestfallen and nervous as the electric lioness stalked onto the field, her eyes warm with liquid affability and her claws gleaming with raw power, just waiting to be unleashed. The sharp contrast unnerved him, and he looked at Leah incredulously. She merely grinned.

"Okay, guys, here's how this is going to work. One of the next people we can choose to battle is Janine, who specializes in poison-types. Dante, you're the only one of the group knowing a psychic-type move. Unfortunately, we haven't used it much as of late, so your job is to perfect it in this practice battle. You may use Confusion and Confusion _only._"

She turned to Kenya, eyes sparkling as she admired the sleek elegance and eagerness that emanated from the Luxray. "Kenya, you need to learn to adapt to battling in your new form- especially how to evade attacks. You are not allowed to attack him- only dodge and evade when needed- unless he manages to hit you with Confusion. Then, you may retaliate, but you can't use any electric moves. The two of you may begin."

Kenya's amiable expression hardened as she circled Dante, wary and yet exuding confidence.

He clenched his temples with his pudgy hands, in an attempt to summon the psychic energy that had lain dormant inside him for quite some time. His eyes fluttered shut, and after a moment, snapped open again. They glowed an electric blue as he sent a weak wave of Confusion at Kenya.

She nimbly darted to the side, and the assault missed her completely. Dante huffed his irritation, and tried once more, but ended up with the same result. After a few more unsuccessful attempts, Leah stepped in with some advice.

"Try to focus on bending the psychic energy to follow her, Dante. Kenya, don't get lazy now, keep hustling!"

I became bored after watching them for a few minutes, and joined the circle of conversation. Tyson lazily glanced up, his eyes heavy-lidded as he watched me lay down next to him.

"I never thought I'd see the day," he murmured, nodding at Claire and Keon.

I glanced at them curiously, and saw they were just having some in-depth conversation. "What do you mean, Tyson?"

"Just look at them!" he snorted, his reptilian eyes shimmering with mischief. "Yesterday, Claire couldn't stand him, and Keon just liked picking on her. Today they battle and share a few words after, and suddenly they're the best of friends. I don't get it. But it's funny as hell."

I watched the pair intently, and saw a look of mutual respect and understanding that they shared. My curiosity piqued, I decided to intervene.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" I barked, leaving the lethargic Rampardos behind me and joining Claire and Keon.

"I'm exhausted," Keon admitted, rubbing his muscular arm and grinning. "There are some things even Hyper Potions can't even fix. Not after a battle like that."

"Guess we aren't too bad for a couple of rejects, eh Keon?" Claire chuckled mirthfully.

"Rejects?" I asked, confused. "What do you mean?"

The two shared a knowing look, and then Keon laughed. "After our battle, we talked about why we are both so competitive. And we found out we're actually quite similar."

"We were both abandoned, Shadow," Claire explained, her eyes downcast. "Before I met up with you and Kelly, I had another trainer. She ditched me, and Professor Oak happened to find me before the wild Pokémon got to me." The Charmeleon's tail flame flared at the memory, and her eyes narrowed in hatred. "That bitch left me for dead."

Keon patted her shoulder in an understanding way, and then met my gaze. "My trainer wasn't as bad. I wasn't her starter, but I was her strongest Pokémon. She was good to me, until she got bored with training. She released me without a second thought and took her pretty little Meowth with her to compete as a Coordinator. Even so, I really miss her sometimes," he added, his façade one of cool indifference.

I was shocked into silence. After all this time traveling with Keon and especially Claire, I couldn't believe they had never told anyone. I was a little hurt Claire had never felt comfortable telling me, but then again, I was keeping part of my past hidden from her.

"So, lemme get this straight," I said, deciding to ignore my hypocrisy. "You two are okay with each other now?"

Claire shrugged, and smiled softly. "I hated him because he was a cocky, smug asshole. But now I know why. He felt like he needed to act tough, because he wanted to impress Leah to avoid being abandoned." She glanced down and chuckled, "And it kinda made me realize I do the same thing."

I was amazed. This was almost too good to be true. In an hour or so, Dante and I made up, and now Claire and Keon had settled their differences.

Call me pessimistic, but I sort of expected something to just explode in our faces to screw everything up.

A feral growl erupted from the battlefield, and snapped me out of my thoughts. Judging by the way Kenya proceeded to slam into Dante using Tackle, I assumed he had finally learned to control his Confusion attack. He took the hit like a trooper, and Kenya winked at him.

"Nice shot, Dante! But don't get used to it, I'm just getting warmed up."

Leah cheered on Dante, and from that point on his accuracy only continued to improve- as did Kenya's evasion. This continued for quite some time, before Dante scored a critical hit with a well-aimed Confusion. Kenya growled as she crumpled to the ground, sides heaving. But no one was paying attention to her- because Dante was silhouetted in a familiar, blinding white light.

He grew much taller, lost his chubby stomach, and his once flat beak sharpened and curved down a bit. Dull spikes protruded from his head like a crown of flesh and bone, and his stubby, worthless tail grew into a powerful weapon. His tiny limbs elongated, and formidable claws sprouted from his webbed appendages. The light faded out as suddenly as it had appeared- leaving in its wake sleek sapphire feathers, a ruby jewel on his forehead, and a whole new Dante.

I padded over to Leah and sat next to her, glancing up at her contentedly. She met my gaze, her eyes sparkling as she reached down and rubbed the fur between my ears.

"Things are looking up, Shadow," she murmured happily, returning her attention to her lithe, powerful new Golduck.

I barked in agreement, my tail wagging. It sure seemed that way to me.

* * *

I groaned as I stretched my sore muscles- the cold tile floor hard and unforgiving. It was early in the evening and we had just finished eating. Leah and Julie chatted over their empty plates in the Pokémon Center lounge, laughing and joking around as they decided where we would head to next- south to Fuschia, or east to Saffron.

I lifted my head to look around, and my limbs ached in protest after spending the afternoon training against Tyson. It was long and grueling, but I had managed to come out on top.

Dante was sitting on a bench near our table, turning his claws over in the light and examining them with giddy curiosity. Kenya sat next to him, oblivious she was holding a completely one-sided conversation with the preoccupied Golduck. Dante happened to look up and his ruby eyes locked with mine. He motioned me over with a wave of his new talons, and I grudgingly rose to my throbbing paws and padded over to him and Kenya.

The Luxray welcomed me with a low mewl. "Hey Uncle Shadow," she greeted, unwittingly flashing her intimidating dagger-smile.

I couldn't help but grin. It did my heart good to hear the old nickname, even though she had surpassed me in both height and prowess.

"Shadow, what favor did you want to request of me?" Dante asked in his new deep, raspy voice.

I hesitated and glanced around the lounge. Everyone looked so peaceful, so happy. I wanted to enjoy it while it lasted, not dwell on something that I couldn't change anyway. The newspaper clipping would be there whenever I decided to uncover the truth.

"Never mind," I said in an off-hand manner. "It's not important. I can, uh… just ask you later."

He looked at me skeptically, but then shrugged and resumed looking himself over.

I returned to my spot next to the table, stretching out and relaxing as well as I could. After a few minutes, the hair on the back of my neck stood up, and I got an odd feeling- like I was being watched. I looked up and saw Bruce staring at me from his chair next to Julie, with his softly glowing aura-eyes. I awkwardly looked away and pretended I hadn't noticed, but then he spoke.

"Your aura reveals you are troubled, Shadow. Is everything all right?"

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine. Thanks though," I lied unconvincingly, not feeling like discussing my past with anyone, and _certainly _not someone I hadn't known very long.

He was thoughtfully silent for a moment, so I laid my head between my paws to feign sleep. Sometimes that was the only surefire way to get people to leave you alone.

_"So you don't want to discuss it where others can hear?" _Bruce asked, his telepathic voice a tickling sensation at the base of my skull.

I groaned audibly. Apparently I wasn't as good at pretending to be asleep as I had originally thought.

_"I don't want to talk about it _at all_, Bruce. Not verbally, not telepathically. I just want to be happy and not think about my past," _I thought, watching him steadily as the conversation in our heads continued.

_"Keeping your emotions bottled up is the worst way to deal with your past, Shadow,"_ Bruce mentally chided me, his voice a gentle and wizened whisper. _"There is nothing to be secretive about here. Look around you. You are surrounded by friends. They will all help you overcome whatever it is that is troubling you."_

_"This coming from the reserved Lucario who hasn't told us why he doesn't have any eyeballs?" _I snorted sarcastically, _"Well isn't _this_ just a perfect example of the pot calling the kettle black."_

He chuckled softly, earning a curious glance from Julie, who was unaware of our mental conversation.

_"The difference between you and I, Shadow, is that I have come to terms with my past. I was only trying to offer up a little advice; but you make a valid point. Tell you what. If you promise to talk to someone soon about what's upsetting you, I will sit you all down and tell you my story- to prove it to you. What do you say?" _

My ears perked up at his offer- this meant I wouldn't have to pry for information like a nosy little asshole. Trying my best to appear nonchalant, I smiled and nodded.

_"You've got yourself a deal."_

* * *

**A/N: So, you like? ;) If you loooove me, or the story, you should most definitely review and let me know what you thought. Think of it as an early birthday present to me? :P Shameless begging aside, I would like to thank you for your patience with my update speed (which is less than stellar). **

**Also, I will be on a choir trip next weekend, so it might be a while before the next update. Yeah. Just not three months, cross my heart and hope to... not die. xD**

**Stay safe, happy, and healthy~**

**~Firebird**


	76. Sun and Moon

**A/N: Could it be? Firebird _actually_ has an update for her (wonderful, amazing, not to mention incredibly patient) readers? :D**

**On a more serious note, I really do apologize for how late this is. Apparently summer vacation really means I have _less_ time to write and be on the internet. But you know how this goes, I'll update when I can, and I'll try to be speedy about it. I wish I could promise things would slow down and that I could update more often, but sadly, that is not the case.**

**Recap~ We had a training session in which Dante evolved, he and Shadow made amends, and Claire and Keon found some common ground. Bruce also promised to share his story with the group. And here it is~**

* * *

Chapter 76:

Sun and Moon

Once upon a time, a young Lucario cradled her two newborn kits and tried to ignore the fact that twins were considered a bad omen among her kind. She wished she had someone to comfort her, tell her it was okay and that her two sons weren't doomed from the start. But she was alone, sitting at the back of their highly decorated cave with tears in her eyes and squirming infants in her arms.

Her mate was a busy Lucario, out running the clan and the like. He was highly-respected, powerful, and wise. Unfortunately, that left him very little time to be an attentive father.

Or mate, for that matter.

~o0o~

Some time later, they stood together, her head on his shoulder. They watched their young Riolu kits toddle around the cave, so alike, so different.

The brothers cooed and giggled, too young to do much else. Their mother kept a close eye on them, and she had a sinking feeling that she was witnessing the calm before the storm.

"They need names," he said with a sigh. "The clan wants to know, and they're relentless."

She set her jaw, her old stubbornness stirring inside her like an impending thunderstorm. "I told you, dear, I need more time before I can decide on suitable names. You're their leader, are you not? Surely you can tell them to wait a little longer."

He grumbled his displeasure, but she was already gone like the wind- sweeping the Riolu twins up into her slender arms, and carrying them to the back of the cave where they could sleep undisturbed.

~o0o~

There was an old folk tale passed down from generation to generation; about twin brothers who started out thick as thieves (I've got your back, you've got mine), and gradually became power-hungry. They fought and fought, but then, one betrayed the other. Of course he had to be killed, because stabbing your brother in the back (or the eyes) is not very nice and kind of dishonorable, actually.

The tale goes on to state that Romulus buried Remus with honor, but mostly with regret.

It's sad to think, all of this started with a fight over one silly little city (a girl with eyes like the stars that made them both go weak in the knees).

Her grandfather had told her that story while she sat on his lap and watched him with sad eyes. She couldn't understand why two brothers would let something as silly as greed tear them apart.

Until she watched her sleeping sons years later and thought of what to name them. She saw it in their eyes every day, beneath the innocence and gaiety. It was venomous- hidden in the shadows of their youth, a demon in the dark, crouched and ready to pounce if provoked. It was rivalry. It would be their downfall.

And so, on a whim, she named her sons Romulus and Remus, unknowingly sealing their fate.

~o0o~

She sat on an emerald carpet beneath her favorite weeping willow tree, a vast sea of diamonds spanning overhead, and listened to the music of the night with her twin sons. They were as different as the sun and moon, black and white, silver and gold, life and death.

On her left sat the one that held the sun in his eyes. Romulus glowed with childhood innocence, and was tough as nails. He was strong-willed, full of confidence and potential power. He grew impatient just sitting there, and was squirming with eagerness to get up and explore. He tugged on one of the leaves hanging in front of his face, dreaming of adventure.

Sitting on her right, there was his polar opposite- the moon. Dark, quick, quiet, clever- Remus wasn't boisterous like his twin. He didn't laugh and smile and flounce around like a naive fool. Any light he possessed was just his brother's radiance rubbing off on him, because the moon is really nothing more than a reflection of the sun.

He sat silent, patient- appreciating the night and the mysteries it held. Unlike his fidgety brother, he was sitting very close to his mother, his tiny paw tenderly enclosed in hers. She smiled at him, and pressed a gentle kiss to his temple.

Maybe she favored little Remus because he was the runt. Maybe she pitied him, because he was smaller and weaker than his brother- whom was clearly the favorite of their father.

Or maybe, _just maybe_, it was because she recognized the darkness in him, and had it in her heart as well.

~o0o~

She died shortly after that night, on a crisp autumn morning under a clear blue sky. No one had known she was sick; but then again, she had never been one to confide in others.

They buried her under that very same weeping willow amidst the gnarled roots, the slender branches brushing her grave gently, the delicate leaves draping over her like a curtain of jade. The three of them- a father and his sons- paid their respects and mourned their loss.

But it was the small one, the child of darkness, who returned every day before dawn to place a single daisy on his mother's grave, and he vowed to make her proud.

A year or so later, their wise old father joined her beneath that magnificent tree, leaving them orphaned and mournful. But by then they were both handsome young Lucario; ready to take on the world together.

Their partnership was extremely successful (except when it wasn't, but, let's not get ahead of ourselves). Romulus had studied under his father, and was a skilled fighter. He possessed unparalleled strength, and his very presence demanded attention. He was a natural-born leader. Remus brought his cunning intelligence and charisma to the table, things he attributed to his mother.

The twin brothers ruled the clan fairly and everything was swell.

Until, one day, it wasn't anymore.

~o0o~

You see, eventually, _she _waltzed into their lives. Her name was Stella, and she had eyes that shone like the stars and sashaying hips and long, dark eyelashes that made all the boys go crazy.

The twin clan leaders weren't immune to her infectious beauty, sadly. They both fell in love, and that wicked beast named Rivalry awakened in them- with gnashing teeth intent on destroying their brotherhood. Romulus and Remus quarreled over the beautiful Lucario they were both entranced by, and who had a right to the throne. After all, jealousy and greed are the two main reasons people come to hate each other.

Being the diplomatic (competitive) rulers they were, the brothers decided to settle it with a battle. The winner got the girl _and_ the throne, and the loser didn't get shit (actually, he got banishment, but that's hardly considered a prize), because the world is cruel and sometimes it gives birth to people who are _destined _to be losers. Despite Romulus' brute strength, Remus proved to be a worthy adversary, using speed and quick thinking to catch his brother off guard.

But in the end, it was Romulus who stood triumphant. Romulus who scooped up the beautiful Stella and promised her forever. Romulus who proudly brandished the wooden staff their father had left them, a symbol of wisdom and power. And it was Remus (child of the night, brother to none) who limped away with a heavy heart and thoughts of revenge.

Romulus and Stella were incredibly happy. Remus was quickly forgotten as they settled into their new life- two young Lucario, madly in love.

Years down the road, Stella's stomach became swollen with Romulus's child. The clan rejoiced, and happily anticipated the birth of their leader's kit.

All except a shadow in the underbrush, that is. A quiet, stealthy, deadly shadow- with a heart bent on perfected revenge. But Remus continued to bide his time, formulating a plan so brutal, so horrific, that only a madman could have dreamt of it.

Solitude will do that to a person, you know.

~o0o~

"You're going to kill me, aren't you, Remus," he stated flatly. There was no point in asking a question he knew the answer to, but when you get ambushed and then tortured in the dead of night, sometimes you can't think clearly enough to prepare a clever remark.

His arms were twisted behind his back, held firmly in place by an unfamiliar male Lucario.

"No Rom, of course not," Remus chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting with malice as he paced the floor in front of his battered, defeated twin. He paused in front of him suddenly, and leaned forward until his muzzle was mere inches from his brother's. "I'm going to make you _wish _you were dead," he hissed.

Romulus growled weakly, but Remus merely laughed and motioned to the small group of Lucario behind him. They stepped forward, and Romulus balked as they came into view. Slumped over in the arms of one of the Lucario was Stella, her belly bulging with their unborn child.

"Remus, please," he begged, his voice a pathetic rasp as he coughed up a little blood. "Let her go. She's done nothing to you."

Remus froze in his tracks, his lip curling back in a feral snarl. "Perhaps not. But _you_ have. And I want to make you suffer for it. I want you to _beg_ for death, because it's the only way you'll escape this nightmare. I've been planning this for so long, Rom. You see my little friends, here? I have my own clan now, _brother_." He spat the word; it was vinegar on his tongue.

"You won't get away with this," Romulus barked, his face twisting with rage. "My clan will awaken soon, and they will _kill you_."

"Let them!" cackled Remus (spawn of Satan) insanely. "Don't you see, Rom? I welcome death. All this time I've been living for revenge." One of the Lucario moved behind Romulus, and roughly wrapped his paws around his face, using his claws to force his eyes open. "No, I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to let you watch your family die before you. Enjoy the show, because it will be the last thing you ever see."

They awoke the unconscious Stella, and Romulus was helpless to do anything but watch and listen as Remus brutally murdered her. Her screams echoed in his head long after she lay on the floor in a pool of her own blood. They would haunt him for eternity.

Too devastated to move (why fight back when you have nothing to live for?), Romulus didn't even flinch as his brother turned to him, paws glowing as he prepared a Metal Claw attack and aimed for the eyes.

And then, his world faded to black (total eclipse).

~o0o~

He sat on his throne, bandages caked with blood wrapped around his head.

He stared at nothing (which is easy when you're _blind_), said nothing, and heard nothing- because he _had _nothing.

A tentative head peered into the room, a timid messenger Riolu. "Sir... we've got him."

Romulus (the fading sun) was silent for the longest time, an unchanging figure seemingly carved from stone. But when he spoke, his voice was hollow and frail, "Bring him to me."

The Riolu scampered off, only to return moments later with the two Lucario who had taken Remus into custody. He wasn't struggling against them, in fact, he was just smirking as he faced his brother. "Just so you know, Rom, I turned myself in. I'm _sure _you'll want the pleasure of killing me yourself."

Romulus stiffened, his paws clenching into fists at the cool, calm, apathetic voice that come from his brother. Rage bubbled to the surface, shattering his uncaring facade and replacing it with a look of pure hatred (you crazy son-of-a-bitch, I hope you rot in hell).

He rose to his feet purposefully, all brute strength and I'm-gonna-kill-you, and reached his paw out to touch the face of his brother. Remus flinched, but remained silent; because screaming as you stare death in the face is a pretty undignified way to go.

Once Romulus knew where his brother was, his expression hardened and he tightly gripped the dagger he held in his right paw.

His intent was to kill Remus with a single, swift, merciful strike. But once he started stabbing, his desire for revenge overpowered him and he couldn't stop (it's a disease, once it gets in your veins it rots you from the inside out~). He didn't stop until his brother's blood coated him and he had collapsed on top of him.

The worst part was, he couldn't even cry.

~o0o~

Romulus had his brother laid to rest beneath the weeping willow, between their parents. He couldn't bring himself to attend the burial.

He wanted to hate his brother for what he had done. He _needed _to. Desperately, he hoped he could blame his brother because that would lift the weight off his shoulders.

But it was his fault. Somewhere, deep down, he _knew_. After all, Remus hadn't always been that way (insane, blood-thirsty, ruthless).

He had stripped Remus of everything he treasured and kicked him to the curb, driving his twin brother to the brink of insanity. Maybe Remus hadn't been the heartless one, after all.

Maybe it was him.

* * *

I was curled up on Leah's bed, watching the analog clock on the bedside table tick-tock the hours away until dawn.

Insomnia plagued me, but I should have expected it after a horrific story like that.

Bruce hadn't been able to continue with details of his travels, and had to promise to finish some other time- at that point, he was panting and trembling uncontrollably. Even when everyone else had drifted off to sleep, he continued to stare at the wall with a blank expression, still as a statue.

My stomach churned as I remembered the story, and I squirmed uncomfortably. Perhaps it had impacted me so much because I _knew _what it was like to watch the one you love die in front of you.

I'm not sure what motivated me to finally rise from the bed and walk over to Bruce. Maybe it was out of pity. Maybe it was because I could empathise. Or, alternatively, it could have been so I could hold up my end of the deal. Whatever it was, I plopped down next to him and told him a story of my own.

A story about a boy, a girl, and a second chance.

* * *

**A/N: And there you have it. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because it was challenging to write. Speaking of which, you can thank Fear the Pika and Stolloss, for getting this chapter now and not a month from now. They helped me not only with grammatical errors, but with other things as well. :) Feel free to send them love, 'cause they deserve it.**

**Also- I missed LitM's 2nd birthday! D: 'Tis a tragedy, because I wanted to be all special and update on that day, but y'know, life happens. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see all of you soon with a new chapter. Yeah. We'll see how that pans out. xD**

**Until then,**

**~Firebird**


	77. Pride

**A/N: I... I honestly don't even know where to begin. Maybe with a greeting, maybe with an apology... nothing seems appropriate. So much has happened in the time between now and my last update, I can't even begin to explain myself. You'll just have to trust me when I say that I worked on this chapter when I could, and my life has been so crazy, it took me far too long to get it to you. And I'm sorry for that. I guess what matters is that it's here _now,_ but that doesn't make me feel any less horrible for the delay.**

**(A much needed) RECAP: Last chapter, we learned of Bruce's past. In the chapter before that, Dante evolved, he and Shadow made amends, and Claire and Keon bonded over their abandonment issues. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter. There's actually some plot development. :O Shocking, I know~**

* * *

Chapter 77

Pride

Being free wasn't as glorious as she had expected it to be.

Sure, it had started off fabulously. But she quickly began to miss the comforts of living within the Primeape clan once she remembered how harsh and uncaring the world really is.

For example, she hadn't the slightest clue why the kid in front of her, all chubby cheeks and pudgy hands and messy hair, was chucking rocks at her. What she _did _notice, however, was the pouch on his bag that was stuffed full of food. She eyed it hungrily- hopeful he might drop it and allow her to rummage through the contents. Food was scarce, and she was desperate.

No such luck. Instead, the little bastard was pelting her with gravel. How incredibly rude.

Her stomach garbled and complained as another stone flew her way, hitting her protruding ribcage with a dull thud. She hissed and flicked her tail in irritation, but remained unwilling to leave the tiny hollow she called home. The Leafeon briefly contemplated retaliating, but the boy hardly looked a day over ten. She didn't want to hurt someone so young. Odds were, he didn't know any better than to-

Caught off guard, she barely had time to react as a Safari Ball was flung at her. With an expert flick of her tail, she sent the sphere flying back at the boy. He yelped as it whizzed past, narrowly missing his head. The Leafeon panted slightly, unnerved by such a close call. She decided hanging around wasn't such a great idea, and reluctantly fled her nest without so much as a backwards glance.

The Leafeon bounded away from the frustrated youth, her nimble legs trembling from fatigue. She didn't even realize where she was headed until she glanced upward and saw the huge, craggy cliff looming overhead.

A low growl of displeasure crept up her throat. Crawling back to the clan didn't really appeal to her prideful side, but...

She glanced at the ribs that were visible beneath her tan pelt, and her swollen stomach that sagged beneath her. Her once sleek, velvety fur had dulled, and her leaf-like tail and ears were curled up on the edges. The lack of food was taking a toll on her.

Then again, begging for something to eat was pathetic. Surely she had other options, didn't she?

The Leafeon tried to think of an alternative, but ultimately found none.

_Maybe_, she thought to herself, she could just pop in for a visit. Say hello, check up on Elda, and all that jazz. And while she was there, she might just _happen _to have a meal and stay the night- sheltered from the vicious winter wind and young trainers who clearly weren't taught proper manners.

There was no shame in that, right?

* * *

Leah eyed the silver coin thoughtfully, her thumb gently rubbing the smooth edges. She admired the way it glinted merrily in the light, before glancing at her companion.

"How about this. Heads we go south, tails we go east. Sounds reasonable, right?"

A pair of hazel eyes stared at her impatiently. "Seriously, Lee. You're gonna _flip __a_ _coin _to decide? Leaving something up to chance... that's so unlike you."

Leah stuck her tongue out playfully, and drew her knees up to her chest. "Aren't you the one who told me to be more spontaneous?"

Julie grinned despite herself, and rolled her eyes. "Now _this_ is like you- twisting my words around against me. C'mon, Leah. You know it makes sense to travel to Saffron City next. Sabrina can't be _that _bad."

I honestly had no idea why Leah was so worried. After all, I was immune to any psychic-type attacks, and Keon was the only one who was vulnerable to them. What was the worst that could happen?

Leah sighed in defeat and returned the silver coin to her pocket. "Oh, _fine_. We'll head east."

Her companion grinned triumphantly and jumped up from the table. "Great! Let's get moving, because I'm ready to get back on the road."

"I think we all are," Claire grumbled. "We've been hanging around here way too long, all because Leah's a total pansy."

"Don't talk about our trainer like that," Kenya chided gently, her amber eyes locked on Claire. "We all know she has confidence issues. We should let her take things at her own pace."

Claire raised an eyebrow skeptically at the Luxray, who had been more outspoken since her evolution. Things had been a little tense between the two of them- Claire had never been challenged for her position as queen of the team. But after becoming a Luxray, Kenya was smarter, more confident, and more mature. It made sense that Claire would feel threatened, and likely would be a little insecure until she gained her wings.

"Why don't we just _prove _she has nothing to worry about, by being on our best behavior and giving it our all in practice battles," I suggested, deciding to step in before things got out of hand.

Surprisingly, it didn't take Leah and Julie long to gather their things from the room and set out on the road again, and by noon we were passing through the city's gates. It was a little warmer than it had been the previous days, and the snow had completely melted from the ground. It felt good to be out in the fresh air, headed someplace new and exciting.

The only problem? No one was talking.

I'll admit, after Bruce's story, things were pretty awkward. We weren't really sure how to act around a Lucario who had just bared his soul to us. What kind of creature could recover from losing everything?

The worst part, maybe, was that he seemed perfectly fine the next morning. After seeing how devastating it had been for him to retell the story, I hadn't expected him to seemingly recover overnight. He was acting no different than he had before- and I wasn't certain if I was supposed to go along with his charade and pretend it never happened, or comfort him.

I settled for avoidance, because that was always the easiest option for me. Claire, Tyson and I stayed at the back of the group, sharing perplexed looks throughout the awkward silence. The only conversation going on was between Leah and Julie- oblivious as usual, and chatting away about... well, whatever it is teenage girls babble about.

We endured the silence for a bit longer, but when Leah and Julie paused to check the map, one of us snapped.

I'm sure you can guess who.

"Okay, what the fuck is going on here? Why is no one talking?"

Everyone turned to look at Shelley, stunned. Tak stared at her wide-eyed, shaking his head furiously in an attempt to prevent what came next. But the Turtwig ignored him, and turned her attention to the Lucario who was watching her with mild interest.

"First of all, you haven't even finished your story. Like, how you managed to get to Kanto, why you left your tribe, and who named you Bruce. Those are pretty important details big guy, so you might want to fill us in." She turned to face the rest of us, irritation alight in her eyes. "And the _rest _of you. Quit making things so fucking awkward. It's pretty clear he's moved on... well, as good as you can under circumstances like those. We don't need to tip-toe around his emotions."

At this point, most of us were slack-jawed... except for Claire, who apparently found Shelley's outburst rather amusing. Figures.

"You do realize, Shelley," Tyson chuckled, his eyes twinkling with mirth, "that by bringing it up you only made things more awkward?"

Dante nodded, and then added, "I concur. Your diatribe had the adverse effect."

Shelley's eye twitched. "Mentally flipping you off both off right now, I hope you know. Someone had to say it, and even though I'm a girl, it looks like I'm the only one with the balls to do so."

"I never thought I would say this... but I agree with Shelley," Claire admitted. "This awkwardness is annoying me more than Julie does. And she's a tough little bitch to beat, in that department."

Keon let out a low whistle, his eyebrows raised. "Whoa, Claire and Shelley are teaming up? There's no hope for the rest of us- we're fucked."

"Shut it, muscle-head," Shelley growled threateningly.

Leah and Julie began walking again, sharing a curious glance as we bickered back and forth. Tak, always non-confrontational and meek, was perched on Julie's shoulder with his back turned to us. Arguing bothered him more than he cared to admit. I found this pretty ironic, considering he was so fond of the most aggressive creature I knew.

Throughout the whole argument, I kept my eyes locked on Bruce. He was watching us with an amused look on his face, which perplexed me a bit. I guess it's safe to say he never ceased to surprise me.

"Please, can we stop fighting?" Kenya begged. "Getting mad at each other is worse than awkward silence. We're not acting like a team right now, and-"

"Thank _you_, Mother Theresa," Claire snorted sarcastically, her tail flame surging with intensity as her temper flared. "Let's talk about our _feelings _over a cup of tea, while we're at it."

Shelley burst into laughter, and the others chuckled despite themselves. Our peaceful Luxray looked genuinely hurt; her ears pressed flat against her head. "I just meant, we have a Gym battle coming up! We need to focus, not fight."

"Kenya's right," I barked, speaking for the first time throughout the entire fight. Everyone turned to look at me, stunned that I had taken so long to voice my opinion on the matter. I coughed, uncomfortable with all the expectant looks I was receiving, but continued anyway. "Look, as hilarious as all this is, it's just going to cause a rift between us."

"What I find amusing, is that none of you have thought to consult the source of the problem."

Bruce's voice startled me, and I quickly glanced at his face to try to gauge his emotions. His expression gave me no clue to how he was feeling, but that may have been due to the lack of eyes. Come to think of it, he always seemed a little indifferent. I suppose watching your family be slaughtered in front of you could harden a guy, but I found it ironic that a Pokemon so in-tune with the emotions of other creatures would be borderline apathetic.

"To answer your earlier question, Shelley; would _you _want to stay in the place where you watched your loved ones die?" She averted her eyes quickly, but his gaze remained fixed on her as he continued. "Our tribe disbanded soon after Remus' death- I was both physically and emotionally unfit to remain their leader. I remained there for a while, reluctant to leave behind the graves of my family. But one day, an elderly human came passing through. He found me beneath the willow tree, and captured me in a Poké Ball when I made no attempt to flee. He gave me a new name, taught me to use aura to regain my vision, and in turn I became his traveling companion. When he was put into a nursing home a year or two ago, I was released."

"That's so sad," Kenya whimpered. "Don't you miss him?"

Bruce nodded. "Yes, of course. But he was in the process of developing Alzheimer's, so he did not know me, anyway. Besides- what is in the past is in the past. There is no use dwelling on it, because it will not change anything."

"Precisely," Dante agreed, nodding his head. "So we're in agreement, then. No more of this foolish reticence."

Shelley glared at him. "I have no fucking clue what you just said, but as long as we ditch the awkward silence, I'll be as happy as a fat kid in a candy store."

Leah and Julie came to an abrupt stop in front of us, which caused me to collide with the back of Julie's leg. She stumbled forward a bit, and I caught a glimpse of their reason for stopping.

A young woman was walking briskly toward us, with a young boy at her side. He was struggling to keep up with her vigorous pace. His mother frowned when she saw us, and gripped the hand of her little boy. "Excuse me," she said, her brow furrowed. "Are you by any chance heading to Saffron City?"

"Yeah, we're going to challenge the Gym there," Julie replied. "Why do you ask?"

The woman looked troubled, and shook her head in disapproval. "If I were you, I would turn around right now. It's not safe there. There's been an outbreak of crimes; petty thefts, Pokemon being taken, assaults on civilians..." She trailed off, and glanced over her shoulder worriedly before continuing. "It's no place for children, right now."

"But we have experienced Pokemon with us," Leah protested stubbornly. "They can protect us from any thieves."

"No no, you don't understand," the woman said pleadingly, hopeful that the two girls would heed her warning. "These aren't your average, everyday criminals we're talking about, here." Her son glanced up at her fearfully, and then ducked behind her legs shyly. She ruffled his hair reassuringly, but when she faced us again the worry was evident in her eyes.

"What do you mean?" Julie asked apprehensively, sharing a confused look with Leah.

"There's a rumor going around that... that Team Rocket has returned."

* * *

When he was a little boy, his grandfather had told him tales of raging wars between the different continents of the Pokéverse. His grandfather had fought in the war himself- a member of the Sinnoh army.

He had listened to the elderly man in earnest- all wide-eyed childhood innocence and messy reddish-brown hair.

"I saw a lot of monsters in the war, my boy. They weren't the opposing armies; nor the Pokémon they used. They were fighting against me, but also beside me; they were the men who could kill without feeling anything. When taking the life of another human being becomes easy, you become a savage beast. You lose your humanity."

Of all the things his grandfather told him, it was this he remembered the best. The wise old man had told him in a soft, trembling voice- his watery gray eyes filled with sorrow. His grandson knew all to well who he was referring to.

His daddy was a monster.

~o0o~

The alleyways of Saffron City were dimly lit, with flickering street lamps that emitted a low buzzing noise. The sound irritated him, and for the millionth time he wished he was back in Sinnoh- where the air was crisp and cold, and the cities were few and far in between.

But he had made a promise. And he was a man of his word.

So he continued, carefully side-stepping the trash that was strewn throughout the narrow walkway. A Rattata scurried across his path, anxiously seeking refuge beneath the rusty, overflowing dumpster on his left.

He noticed a group of kids sitting on the bottom steps of a fire escape, watching him intently with a smug sort of confidence. He promptly ignored them and kept his eyes downcast. The last thing he needed to do was draw attention to himself, after all the trouble he had gone through to go unnoticed.

After all, he was no longer some faceless vigilante. He was all over the news- a boy in all black with a regal Ninetales at his side, recovering stolen Pokemon and murdering those who stood in his way. So he'd had to resort to keeping Grace in her Pokéball when he was in public, and he took extra measures to stay out of sight. He was becoming a bit of an urban legend. Except to the Rockets- to them, he was just a nuisance. A thorn in their side.

He smirked slightly to himself. No, he was more than that. He had proved to them he was a force to be reckoned with, and now they viewed him as a volatile threat.

"What the fuck are you grinnin' about, tough guy?" jeered a voice from overhead.

Wes calmly walked past- unfazed by the street kids who were pretending to be tough. He had no time to waste on humoring them. Besides, he was almost at his destination.

It wasn't long before he found what he had been seeking. It was the side-door to a pool hall, covered in graffiti and chipping paint. He pulled on the handle, and as expected, it held steadfast. People didn't leave doors unlocked in this part of town if they wanted to live through the night.

He contemplated the best way to gain entrance. Of course, he could always just have Anne charge the door; she would probably enjoy that, and with her bulky form, he had no doubt she was more than capable. But that would be loud, and it ran the risk of attracting the attention of the very people he was trying to surprise. Alternatively, he could let Grace out of her Poké Ball and let her melt the lock, but then the door would most likely catch on fire. And if she was spotted, that would blow his cover.

Luckily, he didn't have to think about it very long before he heard the shuffling of feet on the other side of the door. He flattened himself to the wall immediately, his heart thudding in his chest.

He heard the gears of the rusted lock grinding, and the door creaked open- casting a shadow across him. A heavy man walked out, his forehead slick with sweat. He smelled of frying grease, and the big white apron he wore was covered with food stains. His meaty hand withdrew a cigarette and lighter from his pocket.

Wes was relieved. He thought he had been detected- not simply interrupting an employee's smoke break.

He enlarged a Poké Ball and took a deep breath, his eyes trained on the cook. He had one shot at this. While it would just be easier to plunge a knife into his neck, Wes tried to avoid murdering civilians, if at all possible.

In one swift movement, he slid from the shadows and lobbed the Poké Ball at the fry cook, slamming him between the eyes. The bright flash of pink light stunned the man, and he stumbled backwards with a yelp. Wes lunged at the flailing man, and wrapped his hands roughly around his mouth to subdue any attempts to yell for help. Gyro hummed as he floated over to Wes, electricity crackling around his magnets in anticipation. He smiled appreciatively, and nodded twice. The Magneton unleashed a weak wave of blue electricity at the struggling man, and when it made contact, Wes let go of him immediately. He crumpled to the ground, paralyzed by the Thunder Wave technique. Wes glanced at the Magneton and nodded approvingly.

He then motioned to the door with a jerk of his head, and the Magnet Pokémon trailed behind him faithfully. He unsheathed his large utility knife and cautiously entered the kitchen area. It was dimly lit and seemingly unoccupied, but he was still uneasy as he crept forward. Beyond the kitchen doors he could hear the cacophony of pool balls bouncing off each other, but in the small room it was eerily silent. Something wasn't right, but he shrugged off the feeling that he was being watched and continued to the door, knife raised in anticipation.

One moment he was peeking through the window, sizing up his victims, and the next he was sprawled out on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

* * *

**A/N: And, there you have it. Again, allow me to apologize for how late this was in being published. A big thank you to Stolloss and Fear the Pika, for being amazing and editing quickly and thoroughly... and for encouraging me to write when I hit a rough patch. Those two are the reason this chapter is here now, instead of still being half-written and riddled with mistakes. **

**I hope to get some feedback... my biggest fear is that my inability to update quickly has resulted in a loss of interest from my readers. :/ So if you're still reading, thank you, and I sincerely hope you enjoyed the chapter. :)**

**Until Next Time,**

**~Firebird**


	78. Decisions

**A/N: Okay, so... a little over two months since my last update. :/ Not as fast as I was aiming for, but not too bad considering how hectic December was. I also recently got a job. So less computer time for me. xD The good news is, I managed to get out a chapter before the scholarship rush that inevitably comes with mid-January.**

**So, I hope you enjoy. I'm hoping to be faster with the next update, because it should be fun to write. I apologize for how short this is- I was going to have another part in this chapter, but a.) I wanted to get this to you sooner, and b.) this seemed like a natural stopping point. **

**RECAP: Checked back in with our favorite Leafeon, who is starving to death in the wild and is therefore considering returning to the Primeape clan out of desperation. Shadow and Co. found out that Team Rocket are rumored to have overtaken Saffron City. And last of all, a certain badass vigilante tried to bust a Rocket hideout... but it didn't end well for him.**

* * *

Chapter 78

Decisions

The woman didn't linger long after delivering her warning. She tugged on the arm of her little boy, and with one more worried backwards glance, she continued on her way.

As for me, I felt like I had just received a blow to the chest. So much hatred boiled up inside of me that I was trembling, and it was hard to breath. I felt and overwhelming desire for revenge, fueled by the knowledge that Team Rocket was so close. I had no qualms about tearing every last one of them to shreds, even if they had nothing to do with Kelly's death.

I felt a light touch on my shoulder, and I let out an involuntary snarl. Leah seemed surprised, but didn't remove her hand. She stroked my back soothingly, her jaw set in determination. I met her gaze and instantly knew she shared the same feelings I had. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes and stood abruptly, clenching her fists at her sides.

Julie was wide-eyed and motionless, like she couldn't decide if she should comfort Leah or ask her what she was thinking. Instead, she opted for shocked silence. Claire and Shelley looked just as surprised, but they shared the same murderous glint in their eye. They were no doubt recalling their trainers- the victim and the traitor, respectively. Kenya seemed deeply troubled, but the rest of the group seemed slightly confused, and they all kept casting glances in the direction the woman had left.

"Well," Leah said firmly, startling everyone, "we had better keep moving if we want to get to Saffron before it starts to get dark. I'd also like to do a little training before-"

"Are you kidding me?" Julie asked incredulously. "Leah. There is no _way_we're going to Saffron now! Didn't you hear what she said?"

"Yeah, I did," came Leah's nonchalant reply.

"So aren't you the least bit worried that we might be in danger if we go to Saffron?"

"Look, Julie," she replied flatly as she recalled everyone to their Poké Balls one by one. "The woman said there were rumors floating around. For all we know, it might not even be them. We've already come this far..."

Julie folded her arms tightly across her chest, regarding Leah with a look of disbelief. "Are you seriously willing to take that risk? These are the same people who..." She trailed off, biting her lip nervously as Leah gave her a cold look. Julie cleared her throat, and tried again. "Look, you of all people should know that they're ruthless. Do you really want to put yourself- and the rest of us- in danger like that?"

Leah reattached the Poké Balls to her belt and sighed in exasperation. "Jules, c'mon. We can totally handle this- our Pokémon are strong, and more than capable of keeping us safe." Julie shot her a doubtful look, so Leah tried another approach. "Don't you remember that kid they taught us about in history class, back in Azalea Town? The one who single-handedly defeated Team Rocket with his Pokémon, at only ten years old?"

"Sure. His name was Red," Julie supplied, though she still looked skeptical.

"Right, that's the one," Leah agreed, before slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I figure if a ten year old boy can defeat them, then two older girls should be able to survive a few days in their midst. That is, if it's even Team Rocket. You know how people like to start bogus rumors."

Julie still looked apprehensive. "Maybe. But Red was, like, a prodigy."

Leah pursed her lips, growing impatient. "Look, Julie. All I'm saying is, we should head to Saffron and see if the rumors are even true. If there are too many shady looking characters and we feel unsafe, we can always leave. I just wanna check it out- get my badge, if I can. We'll be perfectly _fine_, okay?"

Julie's frown deepened- she clearly didn't like the idea. But she sighed in defeat, and with that, we were back on our way.

The closer we got to the city, the more people we began to see. It wasn't too long before a boy, looking to be in his mid-teens, approached Leah and requested a battle. She accepted readily, but there was still something off about her. I imagined she was as distracted by the news of Team Rocket's (possible) presence in Saffron as I was.

In fact, I couldn't seem to focus on anything else. All I could think about was that field of flowers, and that horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach as I realized two people we had trusted turned out to be traitorous, heartless bastards. I recalled that helpless feeling as Wes and Kelly struggled to escape- watching her die and feeling like a part of me died with her... it was all coming back to me, a vivid picture in my head. I wanted nothing more than to rip those fuckers limb from limb; to feel their flesh tearing beneath my claws and fangs, to taste their blood on my tongue, to watch them suffer just like-

"Shadow, you're up," Leah commanded coolly, interrupting my thoughts.

I stalked onto the field, my claws already extended in preparation for battle. With all the emotions boiling inside of me, I was itching for a good fight. A purple scorpion-like creature, with two pincers and membrane wings, appeared in a flash of reddish light before me. He blinked twice at me, before sticking out his tongue and hopping around anxiously in front of his trainer.

Normally I would give an acknowledging nod to my opponent, but instead I narrowed my eyes and let out a low growl. It felt like something volatile was stirring inside of me- a monster awakened by horrific memories and the prospect of revenge.

The Gligar darted in for a Quick Attack, as commanded by his trainer. He slammed into me with one pincer digging into my side, and the other clamped down on my tail. With a vicious snarl, I swiped at him with my forepaw, which sent him tumbling away from me. Leah commanded a Dark Pulse, and the pillar of dark energy hit him while he was still down.

"Another Quick Attack, Gligar, and then follow up with Poison Jab!" called out the other trainer nervously. He adjusted his glasses and frowned slightly as his Pokémon recovered from the powerful beam.

"Shadow, dodge and retaliate with Ice Fang!"

In one swift movement, the Gligar pushed off the ground and launched into the air. He soared overhead momentarily, before dipping his head and dive-bombing me. Failing to dodge, I yelped as he collided with me- landing directly on my face. I let out a startled bark as his body covered my eyes, temporarily blinding me. Desperate to get him off, I pawed at his scaly body and shook my head vigorously- but he only dug his claws in deeper to keep his firm hold on me. His pincers gripped the fur on my head, twisting it sharply in an attempt to hold on. Once he had steadied himself, he lifted his tail and stabbed me in the side of the neck with the poisonous barb.

With an indignant roar, I swung my head sharply to the left and kicked the persistent little brat with my hind leg. The Gligar loosened his hold, and cackled as he once again took to the skies. His tongue lolled as he swooped past me tauntingly- firing Poison Stings with every pass overhead.

Leah groaned as the irritating Pokémon glided past yet again, staying just out of my reach and only inflicting enough damage to be a nuisance. My fangs glittered with frost as I prepared the Ice Fang Leah had requested, but the stupid thing wouldn't land! That little bastard was mocking me, and I knew it.

Finally, I had had enough. When he zoomed by the next time, he was met with a blast of grit to the face- courtesy of Sand Attack. The Gligar grunted as his vision blurred, and he careened to the side. He swooped dangerously close to the ground, and it was then that I pounced.

After tackling him in midair, we tumbled to the ground in a heap of tousled fur and purple scales. I got to my feet quickly, and pinned the Gligar down with my forepaws. He struggled, but was helpless beneath my weight. My fangs glistened as they were coated in ice, and then I latched onto his midsection. The Gligar let out a deafening squeal as the doubly super-effective move depleted his health, leaving him incredibly weak. In a pathetic attempt to free himself, he spat a Poison Sting into my face. With an enraged snarl I tightened my grip on the Gligar, and shook him furiously. I vaguely remember feeling his tiny body go limp between my jaws, but in the heat of the moment, I didn't let go. The next thing I knew I heard voices yelling, and my jaws forcefully clamped shut as the Gligar vanished in a jagged streak of red light.

I blinked furiously, momentarily blinded by the flash. It seemed to snap me back to reality, and I once again became aware of my surroundings. I licked my lips subconsciously, and was horrified by the metallic taste on my tongue.

The boy watched me uneasily as he returned the Poké Ball to his belt. His hand trembled uncertainly at his side, like he couldn't decide whether to forfeit the match, or send out another Pokémon against me.

If Leah was the least bit stunned, she didn't show it. She simply cleared her throat, and gave him an expectant look.

With a grimace, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a small wad of cash. He was careful to keep a fair distance between us as he made his way over to Leah, and shyly handed her our earnings. Then, he hurriedly fled- his head down, and his hands tucked away in his pockets.

Julie watched him walk away with a concerned frown on her face. The frown deepened when she turned to look at me. I recoiled from her intense gaze, and trotted over to Leah to seek refuge. She rubbed my ears affectionately, oblivious to the stare we were receiving.

"Leah..." Julie began, "don't you think you should have, oh, I dunno... apologized for nearly killing his Pokémon? I know you're upset, but Shadow nearly ripped his Gligar into shreds. And you barely even made an effort to stop him."

I winced at the accusation and tucked my tail between my legs in shame. I wanted to explain to her- it was like something had taken control of me. It wasn't my fault. My intentions weren't to kill the Gligar... right?

Leah put her hands on her hips, "Shadow would never kill anyone, Jules. I trust him. That's why I didn't stop him. It's not his fault that Gligar couldn't take a hit. Plus, the guy recalled him before any real harm was done. What's the big deal?"

The raven-haired girl bit her lower lip, knowing she was treading on thin ice. "Lee, I've been with Shadow just as long as you have, and..." She trailed off, and fiddled with her jacket a moment before continuing. "Look, I've just never seen him be so... malicious. I honestly thought he was going to kill that Pokémon!"

"He's probably just upset," Leah murmured, as she smoothed down the fur on my back. "I mean, Kelly was important to him, too."

In more ways than she could ever have imagined.

As their conversation continued and we moved toward the city, I gradually became more and more perplexed by my emotions. Before, all I had felt was rage and hatred, and a desire for revenge. Actually, I still wanted those things. I _needed_them. But... where did that leave my other promise?

When I first saw Leah, I realized she was all I had left of Kelly, and I vowed to always protect her- no matter what the cost. Over time that promise had extended to our friends and teammates, but Leah remained my number one priority.

But now, with my long-awaited opportunity for revenge at arm's length, I was faced with a decision. Which promise should I keep? The vow to exact my revenge on the people who murdered my closest friend, or the promise I made to protect her little sister from harm?

I weighed my options. Choosing revenge meant venturing into alleged Rocket territory, where it would be exceedingly difficult to protect Leah from harm. But if I kept her and Julie from going to Saffron to avoid possible danger, there would be no way for me to avenge Kelly's death. And who knows when Team Rocket would resurface again?

_"Are you all right, Shadow?"_

Surprisingly, I didn't even flinch. I was beginning to grow accustomed to hearing voices in my head, pathetic as it sounds.

_"Yes, I'm fine,"_I mentally snarled back. Reflex response. Of course I didn't think Bruce would be fooled by the generic reply, but maybe he'd get the hint that I didn't want to talk about it...

_"Asking you was just a formality- I know something is wrong."_

Or, maybe not.

_"Look, I know you're super wise and nice and helpful and stuff, but I really need to sort out what I'm thinking before I even attempt to explain. You wouldn't underst-"_

_"You are troubled because you lost control of your emotions earlier, and as a result you nearly murdered an innocent Pokémon. It hurts you that Julie lost her trust in you, but after that little episode, you aren't exactly sure you deserve her trust anyway. As an added bonus, the very two promises you live to fulfill have caused a conflict, and by keeping one, you automatically dishonor the other. You know that your desire for revenge is selfish and requires you to put your friends in danger, and yet, you are unwilling to give it up just yet."_ He paused as he glanced at me to gauge my reaction, and then continued in a gentler voice, _"You forget that your aura reveals things about you, Shadow."_

_"I didn't forget,"_ I spat, rage bubbling to the surface yet again. _"I guess I just thought you might have at least a little respect for my privacy! Why don't you just do me a favor, and mind your own damn business."_

He flinched, taken aback by my hateful response. I instantly felt a little regret, somewhere deep down inside of me... I mean, he had pretty much hit the nail on the head. It was just a little irritating to me that he understand what I was feeling better than even I could.

Bruce was thoughtfully silent for a moment, before sighing. _"My apologies, Shadow. I did not mean to come across as meddlesome- I just wanted to help you if at all possible."_

I nodded, but didn't reply. I knew his heart was in the right place, but I couldn't help but feel a little exposed. It was a little disconcerting that he could read my aura without my knowing.

Thinking the conversation was over, I trotted ahead until I fell in stride with Leah. Majestic skyscrapers came into view as we crested the hill, which was a troublesome sight. I had a big decision to make, and with every step we took the time I had was shortened. The sand in the hourglass was slipping away faster than I could process my own thoughts, and it was making my head spin.

One thing I was becoming more and more certain of- it was too big of a decision to make on my own. Whichever promise I chose to keep affected not just me, but my friends- Leah especially. This was just as much her choice as it was mine.

Suddenly, I knew exactly what I had to do.

_"Bruce... I think I know how you can help."_

* * *

**A/N: You can shoot me now for not resolving last chapter's cliffhanger. xD It will come eventually! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Big thanks to Stolloss and Fear the Pika as usual, for being fabulous and helping to make this chapter a little easier on the eyes. :)**

**I hope to see you all very soon with a new chapter~ **

**Until next time, **

**~Firebird**


	79. Focus

**A/N:**** No, you're not dreaming. Yes, it's been a year since the last update. And yes, you can expect a proper explanation from me. But for now, have a recap of events that's needed now more than ever, and then enjoy the (longer than usual) chapter! I also feel like this may be the best chapter I've written so far, so hopefully that makes up for things a bit. **

**RECAP: Shadow and Co. found out that Team Rocket are rumored to have overtaken Saffron City, and a certain vigilante tried to bust a Rocket hideout... but it didn't end well for him. Shadow then had to decide- avenge Kelly's death and put Leah in harm's way doing so, or protect Leah and bypass his only chance to settle his score. Bruce talked some sense into him, and Shadow asked for his help with... well, you'll see shortly!**

**A big thank you to ****Stolloss**** and ****Fear the Pika****. These guys are the greatest friends/betas a girl could ask for. And that's not even an exaggeration. :3 **

* * *

Chapter 79

Focus

Leah sat cross-legged in front of me in the grass, her hands on her knees. She studied me uncertainly as I curled my tail around my paws.

"Not gonna lie, I've kinda been putting this off Shadow. When I was little, I always dreamed of being able to talk to my Pokémon. But now that I have that option, I'm a little afraid of what you'll have to say," she said with a small smile, showing she was only half-joking. "I mean, this is just so surreal! What are the others like? Are you all happy with me as a trainer? I just have so many things to ask-"

"Slow down there, kiddo," I chuckled. "You're throwing questions out there faster than I can process them."

Bruce was propped up against a nearby tree, his head resting against the trunk and his paws folded neatly on his lap as he translated my words telepathically. One might have thought he was sleeping, considering how peaceful he looked.

Leah blushed and hurriedly apologized for her eagerness as my words filled her head. "Sorry, I just sort of... blurt things out when I get nervous. Or excited."

"So I've noticed," I snorted, my tail thumping in amusement.

She grinned a bit, leaning forward slightly. "Okay, well, first thing's first. What are they like? I'm dying to know."

I cast a sideways glance at the polished Poké Balls on her belt, the sun causing them to gleam merrily. "Claire's your typical fire-type, really. She's highly competitive and hot-headed, but she's got a heart of gold. Keon is a tough guy and nearly as competitive, but he's always had a thing for Claire. Dante's an absolute genius, and Tyson... Well, Tyson is kind of an idiot. He used to speak in third-person a lot, but it hasn't happened since he evolved. He's pretty mellow, too. Kenya's an absolute sweetheart- I don't think she has a mean bone in her body. Tak is a scaredy-Skitty, Shelley has an extremely foul mouth and a horrible temper, and Bruce... well, you've talked to him."

Leah raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow. That's just... wow. I don't think I can look at any of you the same way again," she laughed, rubbing her arm awkwardly. "What did I do to deserve such amazing Pokémon?"

"Leah," I growled softly, my voice firm. "I can honestly tell you that they all care about you immensely. You are a good trainer. They have faith in you."

As Bruce translated this for me Leah bent over to pick at the brittle grass, her bangs obscuring eyes momentarily. "And what about _you_?" she asked softly, not bothering to look up.

This caught me off guard. I looked over at Bruce for some help, but he ignored me. Apparently he didn't plan on involving himself in this conversation any more than he had to.

"What _about _me?"

Leah straightened up and dusted off her hands slowly, squinting at me as if she was trying to solve a puzzle. "You've told me how the others feel, and what they're like. But as my starter- and my sister's first Pokémon, for that matter- your opinion is something I value."

I let out a long sigh. This was where it was going to get difficult.

"You have to understand, your sister and I were... very close," I murmured. "When she died, I was so miserably lost- without her, I didn't know what to do. I didn't think I had a reason to live." I looked down at my paws, trying to ignore the lump in my throat. After all this time, it still hurt to talk about Kelly. I took a shuddering breath and looked up, only to find that Leah's eyes were glistening as well. "But then, I met you, Leah. And I found my purpose. You are more than just my trainer. I have devoted my life to protecting you. It was your sister's dying wish."

She swiped at her eyes indignantly. "So I take it you're not exactly thrilled that we're wandering into Rocket territory, huh?" I looked away, unsure of how to reply. Seeing my hesitation, Leah continued, "But, c'mon, Shadow. You can't honestly tell me you haven't thought of revenge. Don't you want them to pay for what they did to your trainer? To _my_ sister?" Her voice rose in pitch and she stared at me pleadingly, desperate for me to agree with her. When I didn't respond, she leaned forward and put her head in her hands. "I just... what should I _do_, Shadow?"

"That's one question I can't answer for you," I told her softly. "You're the trainer in this situation, Leah. You've got to call the shots. As for us... you know we'll follow you in whatever you want to do. We'd lay down our lives for you, if it came to that."

"But I don't want it to," she whispered. "You and me, we're the ones with the score to settle, Shadow. _We're_the ones who knew her personally. Maybe if we..."

I shook my head furiously. "We're a team, Leah. Either we all go in together, or none of us do. I know the others share my sentiments." I had found that out the hard way, but I didn't know how to tell her that at the time.

She pursed her lips, looking deeply troubled. She then got to her feet abruptly, and threw her hands up in defeat. "Alright," she said softly. "Fine. We'll just lay low in Saffron until I can get my badge, and leave."

I watched her walk back to the group, and let out a resigned sigh. Despite my deep desire for revenge, something told me Kelly would have preferred I kept this promise over the other.

_"You did the right thing, Shadow,"_Bruce whispered in my head, his voice reassuring.

I stalked after Leah without responding. Despite his words, I still wasn't entirely convinced.

~o0o~

We were all on edge as we walked through Saffron. I couldn't quite shake the feeling that someone was watching us, masked by shadows and ready to pounce when we least suspected it. My fur was standing on end, and my scowl seemed to deter most people from getting too close to our group of five.

Tak kept his vigil from where he was perched on Julie's shoulder, watching diligently for a threat we weren't even sure existed.

Shelley plodded along beside me, her expression grim. I knew she was recalling her past with her former trainer, because she was trembling out of either fear or rage. Maybe a combination thereof.

In silence we made our way to to Pokémon Center, our footsteps quickening as it came into view. So far, we had seen no indication of Team Rocket, or any threats for that matter.

But that was about to change.

The Nurse Joy had a haggard look on her face as we approached the counter. She eyed us guardedly, but asked if she could be of any help to us.

While Leah and Julie rented a room for the night, my ears twitched at the sound of shouts from outside. My hackles raised as I trotted to the large bay windows and stood stiffly, my eyes scanning the streets for the source.

A man with a briefcase was sprawled on the ground, and two people in dark clothing were digging through the contents. They came up with a few Poké Balls and what appeared to be a wallet. Sirens sounded from off in the distance, causing the thieves to run. Straight toward the Pokémon Center.

I snarled and let out a warning bark, getting the attention of the humans. The Nurse Joy seemed to realize what was happening and pressed a button behind the counter, causing the bolt lock to slide into place, barring their entrance.

The thieves ended up disappearing into the alley adjacent to the Center, causing all of us to let out a collective sigh of relief. Leah and Julie seemed terrified. Suddenly it didn't seem like such an easy task- staying safe in a city like Saffron. No doubt Leah was probably having second thoughts.

"Does this h-happen often?" Julie stammered, her eyes trained on the man who was mugged. He slowly got to his feet, brushed off his tarnished suit, and limped to the curb to call a cab.

"Unfortunately, yes," the red-haired woman said with a heavy sigh. "The crime rate has increased significantly over the past few months. The police force has been spread pretty thin- and even then, some officers have gone missing, or wound up being killed in the line of duty. It's been going downhill for a while now."

Leah glanced at the window, her brow furrowed. "A woman warned us about this, on our way here. She said that Team Rocket had returned to Saffron."

"That's a rumor that's been floating around for some time," the nurse snapped, her tone bitter. "Everyone is looking for someone else to blame- why not a crime syndicate? The fact is, the good people are leaving Saffron for safer cities, and the crooks are migrating here in flocks to take advantage of our weakened police force. There's been little proof Team Rocket has actually resurfaced here." She pressed the same button and unlocked the door, before glancing up at Leah curiously. "If you were warned about the danger, why did you come?"

"Taking the gym challenge," was the only explanation Leah offered, her thoughts obviously elsewhere. The nurse may have been accustomed to witnessing muggings, but for us it was extremely unsettling. A shiver ran down my spine as I realized that, all too soon, we would be travelling through the city to the gym.

The nurse seemed satisfied with this answer, and nodded as she took Leah's Poké Balls from her. "That's what I figured- you trainers are a determined bunch, I'll give you that much."

After we all received a clean bill of health, we were returned to Leah in the lobby. She collected her Poké Balls and headed back to the couch she and Julie were lounging on, and immediately resumed studying her strategy book. Julie was flipping through a magazine and I was on the verge of a nap when she shut the book, appearing thoughtful.

Julie cut her eyes to Leah out of curiosity. "Done obsessing over that silly thing?"

"For now," Leah murmured as she stretched her body, her bones crackling back into place. Afterward she rose to her feet, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Well, let's get a move on. I want to get this over with."

Julie lowered the magazine, exposing her raised eyebrows. "Sorry, what are you talking about?"

"Sabrina. I'm ready for her." She looked down at me, a smile playing at her lips. "Shadow is immune to psychic attacks, and Kenya knows a dark-type move if he needs back up. The sooner we battle her, the sooner I can get my badge and we can get out of here."

"Oh, I know you're ready for her," Julie laughed, returning the magazine to the rack and grabbing her things as well. "You just aren't this easy to convince, usually."

The two girls got their things together and put on their coats, taking their time and putting off exiting the safety of the Pokémon Center as long as possible. Neither would admit to their fear of entering the streets, but it was plain to see on their faces. Julie kept Shelley and Tak in their Poké Balls to keep them from getting lost, and decided to leave Bruce in his as well to give him a chance to rest. Leah let Keon out of his Poké Ball to join us, in the hopes he would deter any questionable people we might come across.

And with that, we ventured into the bustling streets of Saffron.

Leah and Julie led the way, cautiously making their way along the sidewalk while searching for the Gym. Keon loomed behind them and I stuck to Leah's side, both of us alert and on-edge. People parted to make way for us, eyeing us with the same wariness we regarded them with.

It took nearly an hour for us to finally find the Gym, which was nestled in the northeastern outskirts of the city. The fighting dojo next door was vacated- the windows boarded up and graffiti covering the exterior. Surprisingly Sabrina's Gym looked to be the only building left untouched, but the reason for that became obvious to us when we approached it.

A transparent psychic barrier shielded the premises from the outside world. The building within the force field was slightly distorted by the psychic energy, making it look oddly shaped.

Inside the gates was a Kadabra, its eyes glowing as it powered the shield. A man stood next to it, his broad arms folded across his chest and an intimidating scowl marring his face. "What business do you have here," he asked, his voice deep and booming. "Do you wish to challenge Madame Sabrina?"

Leah nodded in affirmation, and he snapped his fingers after a moment of hesitation. The Kadabra created a gap in the barrier, allowing us to step inside before resealing it. The guard inspected Leah's trainer identification card thoroughly, and then permitted us to enter.

Once inside we relaxed a bit, no longer feeling so exposed. A giant chandelier hung from the ceiling, illuminating the room with wavering light and casting shadows at our feet.

"Good luck," Julie whispered, squeezing Leah's shoulder gently before making her way to the spectator section. Keon gave me a quick thumbs up before trailing after her, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous room.

Leah rested her hand on my head, steadying herself. "We've got this, Shadow," she murmured, more to reassure herself than me.

_"That is quite presumptuous of you, Ms. Walsch."_

The female voice raked through my head, causing me to let out a sharp growl. At the other end of the corridor, two purple orbs glowed in the shadows.

Leah was taken aback momentarily, but then her hands clenched into fists and she steeled herself. She opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the telepathic voice.

_"Do not waste your time speaking. Your thoughts are shared with me- there is no need."_ I heard the shuffling of clothes, and then Sabrina herself stepped into the light. Her ebony hair was stick-straight and cascaded flawlessly down her back. Psychic energy coruscated from her eyes, the violet light concealing her facial features. _"You are here for the Marsh Badge, and are quite confident in your abilities because of the dark one." _Her head tilted so that she was staring at me, and my fur stood on end.

Leah opened her mouth to speak, but the words died in her throat. Instead she nodded mutely, her eyes downcast.

A series of hisses escaped from Sabrina's mouth, and as inhuman as it sounded I vaguely recognized it as laughter. Even so, her telepathic voice carried no emotion whatsoever. _"Darkness does not conquer all. If you challenge me today the outcome will not be in your favor, trainer. Do you wish to proceed?"_

Leah faltered at that, looking down at me in clear confusion. I had already decided I disliked psychic types at this point, and with Sabrina's smugness it was quickly escalating it to contempt. I snarled indignantly and stalked into the center of the room, my head lowered as I paced in front of her. Even psychics have their limitations, and I was determined to exploit every last one of her weaknesses.

The Gym Leader smiled faintly, her thin lips parting to show perfectly aligned ivory._ "Very well."_

Red light erupted from a Poké Ball, revealing a willowy fox-like creature gripping two spoons. The Alakazam eyed me mildly, not seeming the least bit deterred by the agitated dark type before him.

I heard Leah clear her throat behind me, and I could only hope her focus wasn't weakened by Sabrina's mind games. "Shadow, start with Dark Pulse!"

The darkness bloomed inside me, and a cold feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as the torrent of energy burst forth. Without being given a command the Alakazam generated a barrier, one that I could only assume was Light Screen. The pillar of dark matter fizzled out as it passed through the transparent shield, leaving the Alakazam virtually unharmed.

"Dang it. Okay, Shadow, new plan. Try-" The Alakazam conjured another barrier, one tinted a light green. "-using Bite," Leah finished, clearly perplexed by the Alakazam's predictive move. She stared at the Reflect for a moment, before realization struck her in an instant. She whirled to face Sabrina, her face twisted in anger. "Hey, that's no fair! Stop reading my mind!"

The psychic's smile broadened, showing her delight. _"I am merely using the resources available to me, trainer. Surely you've realized that we gym leaders have found ways to compensate for our weakness, no?"_

Scarlet tinged my trainer's cheeks, her embarrassment plain to see. She chewed on her lip for a moment uncertainly, but the Alakazam wasted no time in setting up his next maneuver. It hovered inches off the ground in a meditation position, eyes gently closed and spoons clutched tightly in either fist. Judging by the sheer amount of concentration exhibited by the psychic fox, it had to be using Calm Mind. Which clearly spelled out trouble for me.

Leah seemed to realize this too, because she stopped dawdling and commanded me to use Swagger. I felt a little foolish glaring at a Pokémon with its eyes closed, thinking there was no way I could confuse something with such a vast level of intelligence. But to my surprise the Alakazam wavered mid-air, and its moustache twitched ever so slightly. When it reopened its eyes it was much more powerful, but was also more likely to damage itself than me. It was a pretty smart gamble for Leah to make in the first place.

But no matter how safe the gamble, by definition it always comes with a certain level of risk.

My opponent blinked repeatedly, and the reddish hue in its eyes flickered- its superior intellect was overcoming the confusion, to my dismay.

A short laugh momentarily distracted me, my ears flicking back to catch the softest of sounds. "You've toyed with him enough," Sabrina hissed, barely audible even in the near-silent arena. I wondered briefly why she didn't bother to disguise her command, but her next words made it crystal clear. "Finish with Focus Blast."

The Alakazam closed its eyes, the two spoons slowly moving together in front of its face as though they were moved by magnetic force. Realizing this spelled out trouble for me, Leah hurriedly yelled for me to dodge. But there was no avoiding an attack like that.

The cutlery clanked together and a burst of energy sprang from them, golden in coloring and crackling with intensity. It hit me with the force of a brick wall, rattling my bones and causing me to howl in agony. My mind swam in and out of consciousness for what seemed like ages, and when Leah shouted my name it sounded like I was underwater.

There was a click, a flash of blinding red light, and then my vision faded to black.

* * *

A dull ache slowly roused him from his sleep, gradually forcing him to become aware of his surroundings. The concrete floor beneath him was both cold and unforgiving, chilling him to the bone and causing bruises to blossom from being unceremoniously flung to the ground. He licked his cracked lips to moisten them and tasted blood, the metallic twang giving him the urge to gag.

When he finally stirred the incessant throbbing intensified, making his breath catch in his throat and his muscles seize up in response to the excruciating pain coursing through his limbs.

"Rise and shine, kid."

The voice made something snap inside of him, something that pushed him into the sitting position and made his hand fly instinctively to his side. It groped for the knife that had clattered to the floor when he'd been assaulted- the very same blade that his captor now held in his hands.

Wes glared up at the man with as much contempt as he could manage, trying not to flinch when the stabbing pain in his ribcage caused his breath to hitch.

The man did not look up at his prisoner as he addressed him, his focus reserved for the bar of soap in his left hand. He whittled away at it idly, the shavings falling in a heap to the floor. "You gave us a lot of trouble, sonny. An' I'll admit, ya got spunk." He paused to spit out the sunflower seed he'd been mulling around in his mouth, and it clanked as it landed in the tin can by his side. "But if you thought you'd take down somethin' big as Team Rocket on your own, yer not too bright."

If not for his injuries and the bars of the cell separating them, the boy might have retaliated. But as it was he could only let out a derisive snort, grimacing as he tenderly rubbed his forehead. A small rivulet of blood trickled down his cheek, caked around the edges and leaving his fingers sticky and warm. "Well I was doing a pretty damn good job of it up until now." His facade was one of cool indifference, but his eyes frantically searched for his Poké Balls on the little desk next to the guard.

The man laughed sardonically, his crooked grin riddled with cavities and missing some teeth. "Yes, you were doing a good job messin' with us, kid. You mighta gotten away with it too, but ya know what?" He neglected his craft momentarily to point the large knife at Wes in an accusing manner. "You became a cocky little sonuvabitch, and that got ya caught." He chuckled in a patronizing way and shook his head, returning to his whittling. "Start thinkin' you're invincible, an' that's when you get yourself into trouble."

Wes fumed in silence, angered not only by the man's words but by the truth behind them. He had allowed himself to become arrogant; that feeling of being untouchable ended up ruining everything. He tilted his head back and leaned against the rough wall.

And he tried to remember what made all of this worth it.

He'd never actually had a realistic goal. Once, he'd told himself that he would single-handedly take down the entire Rocket organization. But it turned into something less honorable- his lust for revenge turned him into someone he despised, and he settled for killing Rocket grunts. For a while he thought that, if he succeeded, he would be able to overlook all the people he'd killed because it would be for the betterment of society. That would make it worth it, if no one else had to lose their lives to Rocket.

In his left shoe was a folded sheet of paper riddled with tally marks- each one representing the life of a Rocket he'd cut short. He kept it so he wouldn't forget who he was. Someone with a score to settle, not some monster who killed without thinking twice about it. He used tallies instead of names, because that made it easier to forget he was a murderer. That he was killing someone's son, father, daughter, uncle, sister, mother, brother. The tally marks made them feel like statistics, and he could live with that.

But he'd been one of them once.

And for that, he would never forgive himself.

* * *

**A/N****: So... hey guys. This is awkward. :T Long time no see? *shot***

**Basically, you guys, I gave up up this. There are so many plot-holes I'm not going to be able to fill, and so many stupid ideas I had that have made this story cliche and I cringe just thinking about it. I've grown to love the characters, but I can't tell this story the way I originally wanted to. There are other factors too- transitioning to college life, my job, schoolwork, social life, etc. At the same time, I can't just drop it. You guys have stuck with me for so long (assuming I still have readers left?), and I at least owe you the courtesy of letting you help in my decision of how to proceed.**

**So basically, what I'd like for you to do is give me feedback. There's a couple of ways you can do that- reviews or PMs show me that I still have people who are enjoying the story. You can give me your input there, or you can vote in the poll that's on my profile. The latter is the most important, because you can decide the fate of this story. It would be unfair of me to make this decision without consulting the people I'm writing it for. **

**If you like my writing and don't want to wait for the next chapter (it'll be a while), I also have a new fic that is updated every 2 or so weeks that is... quite frankly, a lot better than this story. :T It's consistent- and it's also my top priority, so I encourage you to check it out!**

**Guess I'll wrap this up. Hopefully there are no hard feelings, but I can fully understand if there are. All the same, I hope 2012 treated you all well!**

**~Firebird**


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